


Come Out on Top

by MegaraNoelle



Series: On Top [1]
Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: FrostIron - Freeform, M/M, On Top series, Tony hates magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-30
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2017-11-13 05:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 35,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegaraNoelle/pseuds/MegaraNoelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"There's no throne, there's no version of this where you come out on top." Tony could actually think of a few versions, but they didn't involve an invasion and some fighting. Why was he picturing that? Scene between Tony and Loki. What if Tony saw a little bit more in Loki's eyes than rage, and some smugness? Based on a One-Shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"I have an army."

"We have a Hulk," Tony threw back within seconds, confidently striding towards the mad god in his lounge. It was a facade, but who better to put one up in front of than the master of facades himself?

"I thought the beast had wandered off?" Was that a smirk on Loki's face? His tone bringing about a little smugness?

"Yeah, you're missing the point. There's no throne, there's no version of this where you come out on top." Tony could actually think of a few versions, but they didn't involve an invasion and some fighting. Why was he picturing that? "Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you." Did Loki look a little agitated now? "Because if we can't protect the earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it." Yeah, he needed that drink now.

Loki was staring intently at Tony, and he must have been imaging the glimmer of pure want in his eyes. "How will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?" He saw the scepter come up, heard the whine of power, or magic, or whatever this guy had, and for a second was actually worried about what might happen.

Ting.

He flinched a little then looked down. Again, the tip of Loki's scepter hit his arc reactor and Tony had never loved the thing so much in his life like he did at this moment. The little power reactor in his chest was not only saving his life, but saving his mind apparently. Although, would he really hate it so much following Loki around? What the hell?

"This usually works." And Loki is looking about as confused as he feels.

"Oh, performance issues," and Tony makes a face, because even in Loki's presence he don't think he'd have that problem. Quite the opposite. "Not really uncommon." And Loki's grabbing his neck before he can get the next sentence out, and throwing him to the ground. And damn if that wasn't going to leave a bruise.

"JARVIS, anytime now." Yeah, now would be the time to remember that he is indeed Iron Man. And again, Loki is grabbing him, his jaw this time.

He can feel the breathing on his ear as Loki gets close, personally close. "You'll all fall before me." And he can't help but take it a little personal as he sides glances the god, seeing that desire in his eyes again. His eyes widen a little when he feels Loki's lips graze the side of his own. He wasn't imagining it. Dear God. He didn't hate it. And then the sociopath is back and lifting him up.

"Deploy." He's really hoping JARVIS gets it. "Deploy!" And then he's flying through the air, through the glass, and yeah that hurt, hoping his suit would get to him before he got to the ground.

Of course now Loki's taking up space in his mind in a completely different way. Damn.

//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//

Pepper wasn't picking up her line. He wasn't going to be able to talk her. He knew that the others would tell her what he had done, how he had proved everyone wrong that he wouldn't be able to make that sacrificing choice. So why then, as the power started to leave the Iron Man suit, was his last thought of Loki? Was it because he wasn't going to be able to confront him? To let the man know just how much damage he had caused to his tower?

At least his last thoughts would be handsome ones.

//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//

Loki groaned, trying to forget the whining noise that he made, as he pulled himself from his own persona crater from the floor. His magic was working throughout his body to repair what damage it could, but he knew that he was at a disadvantage. Although the beast had treated him like a rag doll he supposed he had to be a little thankful. He could feel that his mind was hid again, no longer under the influence of The Other, or the Chitauri.

He was facing another problem though. No one would believe him. Barton would understand, but he wasn't likely to forget what had been done to him. Loki unfortunately wasn't able to place all the blame on his enemies, for he knew the feelings of rage had been lingering there, making it that much easier for his mind to be taken. He was aware, to a point, of his actions, even if he was unable to stop all of them. He could think of one particular action that he didn't stop, didn't want to. Tony Stark.

The hairs on the back of his neck pricked a little and he turned around, falling to his elbows on the stairs when he saw the Avengers above him. He locked eyes with Stark. Maybe the man would give him a chance to at least try and explain himself.

"If it's all the same, I think I'll have that drink now." Tony blinked a little at the words. Then he took a look, a good look, and noticed that the gods eyes had actually changed. No longer were they the bright, icy, blue, but they were green, a color that seemed to suit him much better.

After a few moments of silence, and some grunting from the Hulk, Tony shrugged a little. "Yeah, sure why not." He started to move to the bar, while four of the five Avengers started to yell him at immediately. Clint's bow never left Loki's face but he was one of the loudest, not being able to out yell Hulk. Thor looked at a loss for words.

Tony pulled out two glasses, one for himself of course, and started to pour some bourbon, not exactly sure what a God would drink. "I really don't think that he's going to go anywhere," Tony tried to placate the others, to no avail. "The man hardly looks like he could keep his balance for more than five seconds. Also, I did offer the man a drink."

Offered the man a drink? What the hell is the matter with you, Stark?Tony let his inner voice ramble on. He wasn't listening, he never really had, and now he was pouring a drink for the man that had just tried to enslave the world, and had caused a bomb to be launched. Almost killing him. That wasn't something he was likely to forget any time soon. So why then, did he find himself suddenly sympathizing with the man?

"After this drink, we can secure him and then go get schwarma." He wasn't letting go of the schwarma.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is the lucky one that gets to fix the wiring in Loki's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is one of my favourites, and i'm so happy to see that everyone else likes it as well! Yay!

Tony wasn't sure why he was going down to the lower level, and he wasn't sure why he had a take out container with him. He especially wasn't sure why he was standing in front of a glass door looking at a very bored looking Norse God. Tony was still sporting bruises and scratches from the fight, and glass of the window he was thrown through, and honestly he wanted to lie in his bed and sleep for a week. 

"So, I figured that food is usually a good thing to have when you drink. Usually you want to eat before you drink, but I've never really followed that rule." Loki looked up and raised an eyebrow as Tony walked into the room. "Thor seemed to think that the schwarma was passable, so I thought I'd see what you thought. I think it's a need to make sure that our food is better than that on Asgard." Loki raised an eyebrow.

"If you are here to mock me, Stark, I would prefer it if you left." Loki was sitting on the makeshift bed and crossed his arms.

"I am non mocking man." Tony put the bag on a table as he pulled up a chair.

"Then why have you come down here?" Loki sighed.

"There's this small thing that's been bothering me, actually." Tony could lie just as well as the Liesmith himself could. "When we first brought you in, back in Germany, you're eyes were blue. I mean, really blue, freaky blue." Yeah, he noticed back then, honestly, who wouldn't. "I can't help but notice that right now, they are not so blue. Slight of hand, or something else?" Tony leaned his elbows on his knees and watched the man, his face as impassive as ever.

He remembered when he first saw Loki, standing in the middle of a plaza decked out in full armor, scepter as his weapon and at the ready. Until he had made his grand entrance and saved the day. He was glad that he was in his suit when Loki's battle attire had faded away and he saw the God for the first time. But even that didn't strike so much as when they were headed back to the Helicarrier.

"What's the matter?" Steve had looked over at Loki when the storm had started. "Scared of a little lightning?" Tony looked back and almost frowned. This wasn't the man they had just taken from Germany. This man was scared, he looked small in his seat, he was actually cowering.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows," the man had quietly answered back. No, this wasn't the same man. His voice didn't have any kind of demand, any kind of expectations in it. Tony almost thought that he was just waiting for someone to walk over, hug him, and tell him that it was just lighting and that it couldn't reach him inside the quinjet.

Of course, Tony was wrong.

"I can make anyone see what I want them to see." Tony was brought back to the present and he looked over at Loki. He could tell that the man was hiding behind his masks. Tony should know, he used them all the time.

"That I know, funnily enough. I've seen your tricks. But let's see, you didn't answer my question, which means you're avoiding it. I find that highly interesting." Tony watched as Loki remained still and impassive, and unfortunately, quiet. "Alright," he stood up and grabbed the bag of food. "I'm gonna leave this with you, eat it if you want, but I'm gonna get some sleep. I feel like I've been thrown out of a window- oh wait."

Tony punched in the code to open the door, confident that the chain around Loki's wrist would keep him from trying to escape. He pulled the door open and walked in carefully, saw that Loki wasn't going to grab the bag, and bent over to put the bag on the floor. When he straightened his eyes widened slightly as he felt his heart try to jump out his throat. Loki was so close that their chests were almost touching.

Tony felt a breath by his ear and he briefly wondered if the others were watching the camera feed. "Why are you different than most mortals? You seem to see through the facade." Tony took a couple of steps back and Loki studied him for a second.

"Because I've been there." Loki raised an eyebrow but Tony turned on his heel, shut the door without turning back and left the room. If he jogged up the steps to his room when he was out of sight it wasn't because he was thinking about what had just happened, he just really wanted to sleep. At least that's what he was telling himself.

If he dreamed of Loki that night it was because of the days previous events, not because he couldn't get the demi-god off of his mind. Tony knew he'd never believe his own lie though.

//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\

When Tony woke up at what felt like an ungodly hour (no thanks to JARVIS) he saw that Thor was standing out on the balcony of the penthouse. He was almost jealous that someone else had discovered one of his favorite spots, but instead saw an opportunity. 

"Hey there, Point Break," Tony sidled up next to the tall god. If this kept up he was going to get a height complex. "Morning after and all is calm in the rubble of Manhattan. How are you feeling?"

"The rest has done me good, friend," Thor have Tony a small smile. 

"Great, I have a question for you," Tony continued before Thor could talk again. "You still have this big brother confidence in Loki, right?" Thor raised an eyebrow at him. "Like, you still think that you can help him reform and stuff."

"Yes, I still believe that my brother can be helped," Thor nodded. "I believe that I have seen moments where his confidence in his actions has slipped." Now it was Tony's turn to raise an eyebrow. "This is not the brother that I grew up with."

"Did you notice anything different about Loki when you were having this heart to hearts?" Tony thought he remembered Thor saying something about the scepter that Loki had having the power of the tesseract. Or that could have been Natasha. He wasn't sure, he was guiding a nuke at the time. "Like physically different?"

Thor looked over at Tony and raised an eyebrow. "Why this sudden interest in Loki?"

Tony put up his hands in surrender. "Just curious about the guy that's downstairs. I'm gonna go make some coffee, and poptarts." He pointed back towards the door and started to walk away.

"Tony?" Tony stopped when Thor called him. "Thank you for taking that food to my brother last night." Tony licked his lips and nodded before heading back into the house.

//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\//\\\

"Keep your comm line open," Steve told Tony one more time as he headed for the elevator. Several cameras had been going in and out on the security feed, and that included the one that was watching Loki.

"Yes, dad," Tony called out as the doors closed. He rolled his eyes a little. Tony had ensured them several times that the power to the tower hadn't gone out, it was just the security feed, and it was a simple fix. JARVIS had said that it was to be expected since some of the security circuits had been damaged in the battle.

Tony stepped off the elevator when he reached the basement level and saw Loki sitting on the bed, eyes closed and meditating. Tony moved through the room, glancing back at the god and headed for the cameras. He pulled out a panel and frowned a little when saw all the fried wires.

"I am surprised that you came down here by yourself." Tony jumped and almost fell back when Loki talked.

"You can't just scare a man like that!" Tony whipped around to see a small smirk on the gods face. "I can still have heart attacks." He had placed his hand over his glowing arc reactor by instinct and Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Everything alright down there?" Tony heard Steve's voice on the comm line.

"Yeah, it's fine," Tony huffed a little. "Gotta replace some wires and fuses, the ones down here are completely fried."

"Need any help?" Bruce offered.

"Nah, I got this one." Tony said as he pulled out the panel and the wires that were damaged. "That's probably what's wrong with the others though."

"We can get those," Clint spoke up. Tony hit the button on his comm to mute the line.

Tony sighed a little and started to taking out the wires and fuses. "JARVIS, take a count of how many fuses are going to be needed for the cameras, and then run a scan for any other other systems that are on power failure."

"Of course sir. Should I scan my systems first?" Loki looked up from his spot when he heard the voice speak.

"Yeah, I want you running at 100% before I get to the rest of the tower," Tony started throwing the bad fuses in a pile. "I want you able to combat any breaches, and the hell to what SHIELD thinks."

Tony kept working, but couldn't shake the feeling that Loki was watching him. He eventually turned around and caught Loki's eyes. "I know that I am not entitled to any kind of courtesy, but I would like to ask a few questions of you." Tony raised an eyebrow when the god spoke.

"You're right, you're not entitled," Tony said and pushed himself up to sit on the desk as he started tweaking the camera panel. "But if it'll make you feel better to ask, go ahead. Maybe I'll indulge you, I'm feeling a little bored."

"Who was that voice that you were speaking to?" Tony did not think that that would be Loki's first question.

"That would be JARVIS, my AI," Loki raised both eyebrows. "Artificial Intelligence, he pretty much runs everything so I don't have to."

"You built it yourself?"

"Yeah, that's all my baby," Tony grinned a little. "I built most of this tower, most of the heavy lifting. I like things to be the way I envision them, no second bests." Tony pointed a screwdriver at Loki. "I am not pleased that you destroyed some of my Tower, by the way."

"Yes, collateral damage," Loki mumbled a little. "I suppose that I am a little sorry about that, it was actually one of the more appealing sights in this city of yours."

"Thanks? I think?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Since you're asking me questions, I'm gonna ask you questions. It's a give and take thing." Tony leaned forward. "Forgive me if you've head this before, but I didn't get my answer before. What was up with your eyes?"

Loki stared at Tony intently, and Tony swear he saw the man's mind working, he could see the shields up behind his eyes and knew that he was dealing with someone that might have been a little better than him at misdirecting people.

"If it will please you I shall answer truthfully," Loki answered carefully. "Although as to whether you believe me or not is not of my concern. But if I am to answer this question then I would like my next query to be answered truthfully as well." Tony eyed him, then nodded once. "Much like your Agent Barton, my actions were not entirely controlled of my own free will. The tesseract is a powerful weapon when one is not prepared to defend against such an intrusion. I admit that when I was found by the Chitauri I was a little more susceptible to the power and control, with my own petulant emotions becoming more dominant." Loki had to stop himself, not wanting to reveal more than he had to Stark.

"So, you were angry and they got you?" Tony summed up. "Sounds like someone was having a hissy fit."

"I have answered your questions, Stark," Loki ignored the mans probable insult. "Now shall you answer mine? I should like to know why it was that I was unable to use the scepter on you. I believe that that glow on your chest has something to do with it."

Tony had almost dropped his screwdriver and blinked. He might have been having an internal battle about whether or not to consider Loki a true enemy anymore, but he wasn't about to tell the man about his arc reactor. Banner was the only one he had felt even remotely okay with talking about it, and that didn't mean he felt comfortable about it.

"That has every reason to do with it," Tony answered shortly. "This puppy is my own little magic deterrent." Tony shrugged a little and let it hang at that. "Did you know that your brother-"

"He is not my brother," Loki muttered.

"-was up in Asgard right now?" Tony glanced up a little to see if Loki had reacted to the news. "So you want to know why?" The god merely shrugged. "As far as I could gather, he's going to try and make sure that you, and the tesseract, are brought back to Asgard." That got a reaction.

Loki's eyes widened a little. "I fear for what would be my punishment if i were to return to Asgard."

"I'm not sure that SHIELD would be any more lenient down here, you killed a lot of people, and almost killed one of my few friends." Tony was still waiting to have a very heated conversation with Fury about why he lied about Phil's death. Of course, Fury didn't know that he knew yet. "I guess I'm now a little curious as to where you'd rather go."

Loki sat there for a moment, not speaking, and Tony could tell that he actually was thinking about it, weighing out the pros and cons. "I am unable to answer that at this time," was the calculated response he got in return. "What did you mean when you told me that you 'had been there?'"

Tony didn't need to be reminded about what he meant, about when he said it. He knew exactly what Loki was talking about. But did he want to start spilling out his life story to the god that had almost conquered the world? Why did he feel that he would be okay if he did?

"There was an understanding in your voice, and your eyes," Loki continued and Tony looked up. "I wish to understand why."

Tony took a breath but they were interrupted by someone knocking at the glass door to the room. "Tony, what the hell?" They saw Natasha looking between Tony and Loki. "Haven't you been able to hear us? Did you turn your comm off?"

"Must have fried with the rest of the systems down here," Tony said, shrugging. He slipped off the table, leaving the panel on the table. "What are the rest of the camera looking like?"

"JARVIS told us where to find replacements fuses and they're all back up. Except for this one, and that is making Steve very nervous." Tony snorted a little, picturing Captain perfect pacing back and forth in front of the computer screens. Afraid to touch them, but ready to wet his pants because it wasn't perfect yet.

"Tell him it'll be up in a few minutes, I gotta get some new wires for this one." Natasha nodded and walked away, not paying anymore attention to Loki than was necessary. Tony headed for the door and paused a little, then looked back over his shoulder at the man still sitting in the cell. "Rain check, Reindeer Games." He didn't pause to check and see if Loki even knew what the meant, he just knew he had to get out of the room. He was feeling too comfortable sitting there with Loki.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Shorter update! It would have been longer, but I felt like this was a good cliffhanger kind of ending. :D I know, I know, I'm evil.
> 
> I don't own The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head.

Loki didn't move when he heard the door to the room open and socked feet shuffle in, somewhat quietly. He did open his eyes when heard a chair moved and saw Tony sitting in front of the cell, once again. "Wee seem to meeting an awful lot lately, Stark," Loki muttered quietly.

"Yeah, well I'm a sucker for what I should have," Tony shrugged a little. He was in a black tank top and black sweatpants, his hair a little mussed from tossing and turning in his bed. "Also, I kind of promised you a rain check, and I have a feeling that this will be one of my only chances to get it." Three in the morning was a perfect time for a chat.

"Hmm, yes," Loki nodded a little and sat up from the bed, crossing his legs, and leaning back against the glass. "I believe that it was your turn to answer my question then." Tony wrinkled his nose a little. "No, I will not change my question."

Tony let out a sigh. "They call you silvertongue right?" Loki nodded once. "Well, I'm like your mortal equivalent then, yeah, that's a good way to put it. "You wear many masks, hide everything behind words, and guess what? I get that." Loki raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Seriously, I do. No one needs to know what you're thinking or feeling, because if they don't then they have no way to hurt you."

"I am constantly surprised by you mortals," Loki said and Tony looked up at him. "You have a realm that you will defend till you no longer can, even if that means destroying it yourselves. And there are the ones like you, Anthony Stark."

Tony stared at him for a few moments, the silence drawing out, but not uncomfortably yet. Tony ran a hand through his hair and Loki could see that the man was thinking very intently. "Why haven't you tried to escape yet?" Tony finally asked. "We're pretty much scattered around the city right now, SHIELD doesn't have you surrounded, or threatening you with a 30,000 foot drop, but you stay here."

Loki didn't say anything and Tony studied his impassive expression. "There's something else out there isn't there? Are you afraid of them?"

Loki snorted and glared a little. "I am a Prince," Loki announced as he sat up. "What do I have to fear?" Tony did notice the little flinch when the words rang deja vu through both of them.

"Apparently not the Avengers this time." Tony eyed him then sighed. "Alright, don't tell me. At least you didn't lie to me, directly." Tony yawned then stood up. "I'll see you in the morning Reindeer games."

"Won't your team members wonder what you were down here so late? And alone?" Loki nodded towards the camera.

Tony couldn't help but smirk a little. "This is still my Tower, they're gonna think that you were sleeping." He waved a hand in the air as he left. When he was out of sight he slumped against a wall. Why had he gone down there? It was because of a rain check right? Wasn't it?

* * *

Tony watched as they all gathered in the park, Loki's hands bound, and gagged. For some reason that set Tony a little on edge, but he didn't say anything. Thor held onto the tesseract and Loki looked like he would spit on the next person to look at him, except for when he looked at Tony. It was only for a second but Tony swore he saw,...  _gratitude?_

"I shall take my brother and the tesseract back to Asgard. Thank you friends, may we meet again soon," Thor looked at the five people around him and smiled. Tony's foot fidgeted a little and Bruce glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.

Tony frowned a little. He couldn't just let Thor take Loki back, something told him that it wouldn't be right. Thor held up the container with the tesseract towards Loki. The younger god looked at Thor then the container and reached out a hand.

They could have Loki serve his time down on earth, working with the Avengers, right? He could help them with magic, beef up their defenses. Loki couldn't be the only villain out there with powers, right? So they could use his vast amounts of knowledge for good. Maybe Loki could prove that he was sorry. He made a snap decision then. In hindsight he should have realized that it was a bad one.

"Wait!" Tony ran forward and grabbed onto Loki's arm as he grabbed the container. There was a flash of light and all three men were gone.

Tony let go Loki's arm and stumbled, falling to his knees, eyes wide and breathing deeply. He was vaguely aware of Thor talking to him, then a hand was picking him up by the arm.

"Friend Stark?" Tony looked up and saw Thor's and Loki's widened eyes. "Why have you followed us?"

"I didn't know I could!" Tony's eyes were wide as he finally looked around. He was on a bridge, a glass bridge, that shimmered with rainbows? Beyond that he could many spires, stars, water, and a golden hall. He was in Asgard. "Holy shit."

Tony glanced over at Loki again but found that the god wasn't looking at Tony, but rather down at his chest. Tony frowned and looked down and his eyes slowly widened again. There was no glow coming from his shirt as there had been minutes ago. Tony's breath sped up for a second time, but now his time was very limited.


	4. Chapter 4

"Shit, shit shit," Tony muttered then looked up at Thor. "You gotta send me back, you gotta do it now!" Thor's eyes had widened at Tony's begging.

"I can not, the Allfather must do it. Although I suspect he will not be very happy to know that you are here in the first place," Thor tried to explain.

"I have a way with words, let's get going," Tony tried to tug Thor towards the hall. He had to calm himself down. With the arc reactor not working in this realm he could let himself get too worked up right away. If they could get to Odin soon, he would beg and plead and promise the world to send him back, and worry about the backlash later.

He got Thor and Loki to start walking, but it wasn't fast enough for Tony's liking, and he didn't like the way that he could feel Loki's eyes watching him. He told himself he didn't like it.

"If we ran, how long would it take to get there?" Tony noticed the bridge felt like a bad dream where no matter how far you walked it seemed like everything got further away.

"It will like take an hour," Thor informed him. Tony stopped and his eyes widened, turning around to look at them. Both gods could see that perspiration was starting to form on Tony's brow.

"Look, here's the deal," Tony put his hands together, trying to remain calm. And failing. "I don't have an hour, I probably have, roughly thirty minutes." The two gods creased their eyebrows in confusion. Tony opened his jacket, unbuttoned a few shirt buttons and point at the mournfully dim arc reactor. "This needs to be glowing at all times, no exceptions."

"But you do not have the Man of Iron suit here with you," Thor said, not understanding.

Thor rubbed the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "I know, and I try not to let this get around, but it's not just for the suit." He looked at the two and they could see honest fear in his eyes. "this needs to be on, or I will die."

Loki hadn't been expecting that. He thought that Stark had been a little vague about his power source a couple days ago, but he thought it was because he didn't want anyone else knowing how to make it or use it. He didn't realize that it was keeping the mortal alive. And why did that bother him so much?

"There are tiny pieces of metal in my body that working it's way to my heart, and if they get there," Tony bunched his hands together then moved them apart, simulating an explosion.

Loki suddenly grabbed Thor's arm and looked at him. Thor frowned a little and Loki looked determined. "Loki, I can not do that, and you know it. Our father-" Loki growled, "-would not allow it." Loki glared at Thor.

"What does he want? Is it as important as Saving my Life!" Tony was starting to worry. He faced death every day, every time he put on the suit, but he didn't wanna die on another planet, or realm, or whatever, while these two hashed out silent family problems. He was Tony goddamned Stark.

"He wants to remove his bindings so that he may use his magic," Thor frowned a little then turned to look at Tony. Loki looked at Tony then pointedly looked at his arc reactor.

"For the love of-" Tony ran his hand through his hair and slipped his sunglasses to the top of his head. "If he's offering to heal me take them the hell off!" He could see Thor fidget a little and he sighed a little. "There is no unearthly reason to trust him, but I get a little desperate sometimes. If it helps then shackle the damned man to my wrist!"

Loki blinked a little when Tony offered his wrist out. "I am afraid if he is going to use his powers the shackles can not be touching him, then block his powers," Thor explained. Tony growled again then suddenly started to undo his belt and pulled it off. He wrapped it around his own wrist then wrapped the other half around Loki's wrist, knotting it.

"There, I assume that since he wears enough of it, leather won't stop his magic." Tony looked pointedly at Thor. He shuffled a little then reached up and pulled the contraption away from Loki's mouth and unlocked the shackles with a little lightning.

"I expect that there will be some kind of mortal discussion later," Loki moved closer to Tony, looking at his chest.

"If you can do this I'll make a petition to Odin to let you stay with me," Tony said and Loki's eyes shot up to Tony. "I'm a dying man, I'll do just about anything right now."

Loki took his free hand and put it on Tony's arc reactor, and Tony did not flinch back, and closed his eyes. He started to speak in another language, and Tony could just make out some whispers before he saw Loki's hand start to glow green. Thor hovered more closely than a fly to fresh compost. Loki suddenly took his hand away and frowned taking a step back.

"That's never a good look," Tony muttered.

"What is it, bro- Loki?" Thor caught himself, not wanting to divert Loki from helping his teammate.

Loki looked over at Thor then back to Tony and licked his lips. Tony did not stare. "I can help," Loki started out slowly and Tony felt a knot in his stomach. "I must transfers some of my own magic, and energy into this device." Tony raised an eyebrow and noticed how Thor suddenly tensed a little.

"Anthony Stark," Loki started before Thor could say anything. "To perform this spell I must bind myself to you for the entirety of your stay in Asgard." Tony blinked at the seriousness in Loki's voice and looked down when Loki suddenly took his hand that was connected by the belt. "Do agree to the terms?"

Tony swallowed once. "What about when I leave Asgard?"

"Do you agree?" Loki asked again. Tony nodded slowly and Loki put his hand back on Tony's arc reactor. He started to speak again, faster this time if it was possible. Tony watched him intently then his eyes widened when he felt a sudden rush of power that flowed through his reactor, in his veins and straight to his heart. He gasped a little when Loki let go of his chest.

He put a hand up to his chest and looked down to see that his reactor was glowing again, this time it was green. His head shot up to look at Loki when his hand had slipped from Tony's. The god looked more tired than he had when he was still in the cell in Stark Tower. Tony told himself that the flicker of a smile on Loki's face was an illusion.

Thor seemed to sigh the moved over to the two of them, taking the upper part of Loki's arm guiding the two men back towards the golden hall.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony starts to idly wonder if he should try and get back in shape by the time they read the Hall. His legs are feeling wobbly as he tried not to lean any weight on Loki at all. He's aware that he's getting strange looks from other Asgardians as they walk and he keeps his head up and straight.

Tony can see a man in grand robes, and a staff, sitting in a large throne ahead of them, and a woman with some of the most elaborate hair Tony's ever seen, and he's seen a lot, and he knows that he might be a little over his head.

The trio stops at the stairs and Thor immediately kneels, pulling Loki down with him, who in turn pulls Tony down when the belt is pulled. Tony blinked a little when his one knee hit the ground. He never thought his take this pose, whether it be kneeling to a god and king, or proposing marriage. Tony stark did not get down on one knee.

Tony looks up and see Odin stand and start to walk towards them, and he concludes that the Allfather is not happy. One of the guards takes the container with the tesseract as Thor stands when Odin approaches. They start to talk in the same language that Loki had been using with his spells and Tony concludes that it must some kind of Ancient Norse. Loki winces a little at the words, but hasn't moved from his position.

Tony's eyes widened and he almost jumps back when Odin is suddenly standing in front of him. He pulled Tony up by the arm and Loki is pulled with him, thanks to the belt that Tony had failed to remove. Odin reaches out to touch Tony's arc reactor and he responds on survival instinct to slap away Odin's hand and take a few steps back.

'Way to go Stark,' Tony groans inwardly when he hears gasps and guards moving towards him with their weapons at the ready.

"I got this thing with people touching what's mine," Tony echoes words he used when talking to Thor. It seemed like forever ago, but less than a week when this mess had started. He can feel Loki and Thor planning his funeral.

Odin narrows his eyes in curiosity at Tony before waving away the guards. He reaches a hand out again, this time towards Tony's head and he can't help but lean his head back a little. He could have sworn that he heard Loki call out before Odin's fingers touch his temple.

Tony suddenly sees himself trying to get his fathers attention, the funeral for his parents, taking over Stark Industries, and then he's back in the damned cave. He sees Yinsen, the Ten Rings, and his first Iron Man suit. He feels the tortures, and the weight of the car battery in his arms, and then Stane as he falls into the arc reactor in the warehouse. Hammer and Ivan plotting his death, and he can feel the palladium in his body slowly killing him, the race in Monaco, Rhodey taking his suit, and then the battle at the Stark Expo. He starts to see flashes of the past week with Loki and that's when Tony pushes against the memories. He has to make them stop, he doesn't need more reminders of his shortcomings.

And suddenly he's on the floor, on his hands and knees, and he's so damned hot! He's breathing in and out of his mouth harder than he's ever done before and he can feel the sweat dripping off of his face and neck. There are hands on his shoulders, a voice trying to talk to him, and he's vaguely aware that the voice also sounds out of breath.

"Tony!" His eyes snap up to see Loki's face, cheeks flushed red, eyes wide. Tony blinks as he looks into Loki's eyes. He then starts to take off the damned belt that keeps them physically connected and stands up quickly, and shakily. Loki stands to help him but Tony just puts out a hand and then rounds on Odin. He suddenly doesn't care where he is and who is in front of him.

"You had no right!" He raises his voice and points at the Allfather and he's aware of the guards moving again. "How dare you- you- you invade my head like that!" Tony has never felt so angry, and just pure pissed off.

"I had to see what kind of man you were, Son of Howard," Odin responds calmly.

"Don't call me that," Tony growls out. "I made my reputation, my name, not my father, I don't care what your traditions are!" Tony feels a hand on his arm from behind but ignores it, ignores the rising sense of calm threatening to take away his deserved anger. He needs to stay angry. Doesn't he?

Odin merely raises his head as he regards Tony. "I find it interesting that you managed to push me away from some of your thoughts and memories. Specifically the ones about Loki."

"That's because my thoughts and memories are just that, mine, so stay away." If Thor hasn't had a heart attack yet he must be having several strokes. He turns his head and sees that it's Loki keeping a hand on Tony's arm and that said hand it glowing softly. The same color as the arc reactor.

"I warn you mortal to remember your place in my hall," Odin's voice is stern and commanding, but Tony's not about to back down yet. "You are an uninvited visitor here, and are interfering with Asgardian matters."

"You mean deciding what kind of punishment to pass down on Loki without hearing anything he might have to say in his defense?" Tony caught the eye of Odin, wondering if dying by the hands of a King makes his death any cooler. He can hear Thor hissing at him to hold his tongue. He doesn't. "That's what the fancy mouth plate was for right? To hold back his words and magic?"

"You speak of things you do not know!" Odin boomed. "These are matters that do not concern the likes of you, mortal!"

"I think they very well do," Tony didn't raise his voice, even though he longed too.

"Stark," this time Loki is hissing his name. "Stop your incessant interference this instant."

"No, I won't." Tony shook his head looking around at the three prominent men in the room. "I said that I would help people when I-" he stopped, not thinking about the cave, "-and that's just what I'm doing."

"This is not that cave, and this is not the same." Tony quickly turned back to Loki. He never told anyone about what happened. "We are bound," his hissed out, a slight smirk on his lips. "I see what you see." And suddenly Tony felt a little sick.

"These are the affairs of Asgard-"

"That affected the realm of Midgard!" Tony cut Odin off, turning back to face him. "You can have your tesseract back, I don't care, but don't go ignoring us, because I just helped defend a realm that you couldn't be bothered to care about."

"Do you represent Midgard?" Odin raised an eyebrow at Tony. Tony wondered briefly what Fury would like with the gold eye patch.

"Yes," Tony answered, thinking that things might go better if he said so. Fury was going to have his ass on a spit the second he came back.

"Although I do not condone his words and actions," Thor cut in, but Tony kept his eyes on Odin, "he fought valiantly, as any Aesir would. He was willing to sacrifice his life for the realm." Because Tony hadn't been reminded that he almost lost his life with that nuke yet today.

"One does not so blindly bond their life force with a mortal," Odin commented looking between Tony and Loki. "Especially, Loki."

"Life force?" Tony raised an eyebrow and glanced back at Loki for second.

"You agreed to the spell, did you not?" Tony scrunched his eyebrows but nodded. "Then you must be aware that you now hold half of his powers and life force inside of you."

Tony looked back down at the reactor with the green glow and glanced back at Loki, and suddenly understood why the god looked more tired. He looked at Odin and straightened. "Then you would listen as I petition to take Loki back to Midgard with me?" Tony had never felt such tension fill a room so quickly. Sure, he was no stranger to tension, no that was normal. But this was suffocating.

"He is Asgardian, and part of this court," Odin approached Tony again. "He must answer to his crimes against both our realm, and then yours."

"Then exile him to Midgard, and I will stand as his, um, Guardian?" Tony wasn't sure what he would be called.

"You would dare to tell me how to hand out punishment? In my halls?" Odin's voice was dangerously quiet.

"I'm trying to expedite the process," Tony said, his hands gesturing at nothing in particular. "Why waste time with a trial and all that petty little stuff? We don't even like that stuff down on Midgard."

"You are a poor ambassador," Odin told the shorter man.

"Well, I didn't exactly come here with the job in mind, but I try to adapt." Tony shrugged a little. "If you send Loki back down to Midgard with me I can help him try to make amends, he can help us better our defense, so that we don't have to fight the next time we feel a threat is coming. I once privatized world peace, and it felt pretty good. I wanna try it again."

"There is something that you have yet to tell me mortal," Odin raised his hand again and Tony took a large step back.

"I'll tell you, no need to try the mind trip again," Tony quickly placated. "I'm saying that Loki isn't entirely to blame for what happened on Midgard." This had caught the attention of everyone in the room. The woman had walked closer and was standing next to Odin, and the way she put her hand on his arm he figured that must be his wife, and Thor and Loki's mother.

"Explain yourself," Odin demanded. Tony had never been ordered around so much by someone who wasn't trying to kill him.

"You know that the tesseract is powerful, well there was a little bit of that power in the staff that had been given to Loki." Tony could practically feel Loki cringing as Tony talked. Loki was a proud man, and that's what had gotten him into trouble in the first place. "He was more or less manipulated with his emotions, that he fantastically hides. A good portion of his actions were not exactly his own. I myself actually saw when the change happened, when he broke free of that control."

"Was it before or after you offered me a drink?" Loki asked, knowing the answer, a smirk on his face.

"Oh, it was most definitely after you threw me out of my window," Tony answer, glancing over to Loki, a smirk on his face.

The woman, ( _Frigga_ he heard in his head in Loki's voice), leaned in to talk to Odin. "I have no reason to doubt this mortal. If everything that he says is not true, he would not go the lengths he is to defend Loki as such." Odin merely hummed.

"How do you know that this is true? Loki is an excellent wordsmith," Odin challenged.

"Don't I know it," Tony huffed a little. "He kind put the same mind whammy-" he stopped when three gods looked at with confusion. "He used the same kind of mind control on several, possible dozens, or people, including one of our team." Loki looked down slightly. "There were tell tale signs, and Loki exhibited all of them. I observe things like this, it's part of my job."

"You also are gifted with words, mortal," Odin said to Tony.

"Tony is fine," Tony told him. "Mortal really isn't a nickname I like."

"Tony Stark," Odin straightened and looked at Tony, then down to Loki. "Loki Odinson. I will now pass my judgement."


	6. Chapter 6

Tony rubbed the spot on his nose between his eyes as the arguing went on around him. He couldn't actually stop it, and that seemed to annoy him even further. But what upset him the most was that he was that he was in a cell, next to Loki's, sitting on a rather uncomfortable bed. In hindsight he should have seen it coming.

* * *

_"Tony Stark," Odin straightened and looked at Tony, then down to Loki. "Loki Odinson. I will now pass my judgement." Odin walked over to Loki, standing in front of him. "You shall be exiled to Midgard, under the direct care and supervision of Tony Stark. It is there that you shall serve out your punishment, helping the mortals right your wrongs against them. I shall not strip you of all of your powers, for it would not do harm to only you anymore."_

_"You would leave this mortal in charge of the use of my magic?" Loki's eyes widened slightly._

_"I think this mortal has just become a glorified babysitter,' Tony muttered to himself. "Alright, I'm game, I accept." Loki groaned a little as Odin's staff began to glow. Tony braced himself again for inter-realm travel and found something was constricting his breathing. When he opened his eyes he saw the other Avengers standing over him, still in the park, and there was someone on top of him._

_Tony groaned and pushed Loki off of his chest and coughed a little. "You're all bones and leather, and it's sticking my ribs," Tony pushed himself up to see that Loki was already standing, a glare already on his face. Clint had an arrow aimed at his head, Natasha had a gun trained on him, while Steve was set in a defensive stance. Bruce had backed up and was trying to keep the calm._

_"Yes, this was a fabulous plan," Loki muttered._

* * *

Thor had only just returned and was pretty much the only one on Tony's side, trying to explain that he was not in fact evil, and neither was Loki. Needless to say it wasn't going well. Tony frowned a little as he rubbed around his arc reactor, which was still glowing green. The whole reason that he found himself in the cell in the first place. It seems that when your arc reactor changes to the same color as the magic your enemy uses it sets people on edge. People like Nick Fury. Who he sure was going to have a lot to talk to him about when he finally able to get the billionaire alone,

"Hey, cell mate," Tony looked over at Loki and he mere raised an eyebrow. "Now that I'm back on Earth, isn't this thing supposed to have gone back to it's normal blue?" He'd ask JARVIS to do some scans but SHIELD had taken away all of his gadgets. The fact that he had helped save the world apparently gave him no leverage.

"I can not say for certain," Loki sighed. "I am not an expert on your mortal science."

"They had better let me out soon then," Tony glanced at his reactor one more time before glancing at the group of arguing agents, that included his teammates. "I am not about to die in this cell just because they got a little hot headed."

"I thought we fixed that dying problem last year," Tony's head whipped up when he heard the voice of one very alive, and still recovering, Agent Phil Coulson.

"Agent!" Tony hopped up. "Thank gods you're here, now you can let me out of here." Loki coughed and Tony rolled his eyes. "Him, too."

Phil glanced over at Loki then back at Tony. "I'm not so inclined to let him out. He stuck something very sharp through my back."

"Ah yes," Loki stood up and approached his own cell door. "And for that I must apologize," Loki actually looked troubled. "You were one of the few that I actually respected for facing me so admirably. I do think there is some sort of sentiment inside of me that is actually, pleased, to see that you are still alive."

Phil looked at him, blinked, then looked at Tony. "He said he's sorry. We're working on the sharing the emotions thing."

"We actually are not," Loki corrected.

"Here's the deal," Tony clapped his hands together and looked at Phil. "I got stuck up in Asgard, Loki kind of saved my life, I may have mouthed off to the Allfather, and then this guy here gets exiled to Earth, and I'm his babysitter."

Phil stood there, looking between the two of them, glanced to Tony's chest, partially to the group behind him still arguing, then shrugged. "Alright." He started to punch in some codes for the doors.

"Alright?" Tony blinked and stepped out. "That was a little easier than I thought."

"I believe you, Stark," Phil told the inventor. "But I also want to try out a new weapon again if he's lying." Phil smiled slightly.

"Fair enough," Tony shrugged.

"Can I come with you to the labs?" Phil suddenly asked when Loki walked over to Tony. "I'm actually interested in how he saved your life."

"Hey, sure, I'm all up for that. It might actually be nice to have someone with us who can vouch for us," Tony told him.

"And we can stop by the armory on the way," Phil threw in and Loki almost missed a step.

* * *

Loki sighed as he sat in a chair and crossed his leg, leaning back. Tony was typing away at a computer with some wires connecting his arc reactor to the computer, and Agent Coulson was standing where he could see both Tony and Loki, a weapon, much smaller than the last one, by his side.

"You said you were an Ambassador for Midgard?" Phil asked, slightly shocked. "Do you live to piss Fury off?"

"No, but it's a nice consolation prize," Tony said, never taking his off of the screen. "You guys should let me put some of my stuff in here, really these computers are like antiques." He put a hand up to his chest, a flicker of pain passing through, then pulled the wires out.

"I don't think Fury is going to let you put anything of yours near SHIELD, Stark," Phil told him easily. "Find anything out?"

"Maybe," Tony turned and leaned back against the desk, facing Phil. "I can prove that I am of sane, well, my own mind." Loki eyed Tony silently, detecting a hint of something, not quite a lie, in his voice. "How long until-"

"STARK!" The voice rumbled through the hall, and through the lab.

"Ah, there he is." Tony crossed his arms. Fury threw open the door, visible eye practically melting everything that crossed it's path. "I wondered when-"

"Shut up, Stark," Fury was, well, furious. "I have so many issues with you right now, one of the most important sitting not two feet away from you."

"I assure you that Loki-" Fury held up a hand, cutting off Thor who followed the man.

"The man who just days ago was trying to kill you, and the rest of this team, my people, and this world?" Fury turned to look at Thor, then to Phil (albeit briefly), glared at Loki, then fixed his gaze on Tony. "Stark, I knew you had problems, but I never thought that you would bring back the enemy, and then team up with the enemy. That's bold, even for you."

"Obviously all that yelling did no good," Tony sighed a little. "It wasn't exactly my plan to follow them to Asgard, but it happened. And I can't exactly say that Loki is our number one enemy any more. Certainly not mine anymore."

"You say it with such joy in your voice," Loki rolled his eyes. "I am not exactly thrilled to be reliant on you in any way, Stark."

"Reliant? What the hell is going on here?" Fury was getting confused, and that angered him even more.

"It's rumored that Loki saved Stark's life," Phil threw in. He may be a man in recovery, but he didn't want Fury pissed at him.

"You'll be lucky if I don't kill you my self, Stark," Fury growled.


	7. Chapter 7

Tony was rubbing his face with one hand as he waited for Fury to quit berating him. "Do you wanna hear the story or not?" Tony finally interrupted Fury. "Do you wanna hear anything about why this situation is happening right now? Because if not, then I'll just take Reindeer Games and go back to my, um, well, probably Malibu for now."

"You aren't leaving here just yet, and you won't be taking him with you," Fury informed him.

"Actually, I will," Tony finally felt his patience come to an end. he was surprised that he had lasted this long considering he had just been talking Odin not too long ago. Loki was suddenly very interested in the conversation. "I found myself up in Asgard, and let me tell you, not a technology friendly place yet. I had some theories-"

"What kind of theories?" Banner's voice sounded over a speaker and Tony's expression dead-panned.

"I shouldn't be surprised that they rest of you are watching." Tony sighed a little. "Theories that you'll hear about. No more interruptions, please." When no one made any noises he nodded. "I took my theories with me and I saw Odin. Big guy, let me tell you, kind of intimidating."

"Didn't stop you from acting like a fool, though," Loki commented and even Thor had to nod his agreement.

"Or from claiming yourself-" Tony threw some wires at Coulson who ducked and stopped talking. He could feel Fury's gaze slowly boiling him from the inside. That couldn't be right.

Tony frowned a little and crossed his arms to cover the motion at rubbing his chest again. "What happened to no interruptions? Listen, I was talking with Odin, and he passed his judgement on Loki who will be stuck here on earth, and apparently under my care."

"What," Fury hissed out, low and deadly.

"Stark came as an ambassador from Midgard," Thor continued, unaware that he was making Tony's funeral. "He spoke on behalf of Loki-" Tony thought that Fury was going to have several aneurisms along with a stroke.

"You what?" That was Clint's voice this time. And suddenly several voices were yelling at once, over the speakers and in the room Tony started to rub at his temples and felt heat flaring up in his chest.

"It wasn't Loki's fault!" Tony suddenly yelled, and the room went quiet. Loki had sat up in the chair, watching Tony closely now. "My theories proved that everything that happened wasn't all Loki's fault." He quickly held up a hand when Fury opened his mouth. "He was under the control of the Chitauri and the tesseract, his hand was being forced. When I got to Asgard my arc reactor died, and Loki saved my damned life, that's why it glows green. Yes, I claimed to be the Rep from Earth, but that was because I knew that it wasn't gonna be a fair trial, and isn't that what we were fighting to protect?" Tony was breathing slightly faster and now Phil was watching him.

Tony put his hands behind him on the desk and Loki suddenly flew forward when Tony's knees gave out. He grabbed the inventor under his arms and deftly transferred him into the chair that he had previously been sitting in.

"Broth-" Loki held up a hand to keep Thor from approaching.

"I fear this has something to do with my magic," Loki muttered as he watched Tony catch his breath.

"I'm fine, fine," Tony tried to wave Loki and Phil away. "I just got a little carried away."

"Yes, we saw," Phil said. "It was actually very un-Stark like. It was actually something I might expect from Loki."

"I must agree with him," Loki said as he stood up fully, not stepping away very far from Tony. "I think that this is something that must be explored back in your residence, where we don't have a large audience."

"You used magic on Tony, and you think we're just going to let you go?" Natasha spoke up now.

"Your anger and need for vengeance against me will only harm your teammate," Loki looked at Fury then up at the camera that he had known about since they entered the room. "I am unable to use my magic, for any reason, unless Stark gives his approval, and I need a calm, and empty, environment."

"I can answer any questions that you would have," Thor offered. "I was also present to the judgement and conversations had in Asgard."

"See there you go, everything is sorted." Tony pushed himself up slowly and Loki actually hovered. "I don't wanna see anyone at my mansion, maybe except Phil." Tony looked over at Phil. "you can come on down, relax, you look like you need it." Phil shrugged a little then nodded.

"Stark," Fury started to talk and Tony tried to tune it out.

"God, get me out of here," Tony muttered and he looked at Loki when he took his arm.

"Is that a request for my talents?" Loki whispered and Tony blinked a little.

"I might regret this later, but yes." Loki grinned and his hands started to glow before the two men disappeared from the room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like the end of this chapter.

"So because I knew where I wanted to go, your magic brought us here first try?" Tony was showing Loki around the Malibu mansion, since he planned on staying there for a while before he could get construction started on the Tower again. He thought that the rest of New York should get a face lift before his tower.

"Yes," Loki nodded. "You have to give me permission to use my powers, as part of Odin's judgement, so that means that in a way, my magic is linked with you."

"That's cool, and kind of weird in so many ways," Tony nodded. They walked up the stairs to where the bedrooms were. "So this is my room," he motioned at a day that stayed closed. "And just down here will be your room." They walked a few feet down to the first door and Tony opened it. "As soon as I make a few programming changes JARVIS will be able to help you with almost anything, you'll just need to ask."

"Jarvis?" Loki frowned a little before following Tony into the room. It had a large king sized mattress in it covered in cream colored sheets. The two walls that weren't made out of glass giving an amazing view of the water, were also cream, but the carpet was an emerald green. "Is that a servant of yours?"

"Not exactly. Which reminds me," Tony sat at the end of bed. "JARVIS, please double up security into the mainframes, block any outside access to the mansion, unless it's Agent Coulson, and require vocal recognition on any phone calls, and check with me before answering."

"Of course, sir," Loki looked around the room immediately once the AI had started talking. "Are we trying to avoid anyone in particular?"

"Just about everyone, JARVIS," Tony replied. "Agent Coulson might stop by because I told him he could. Only let him in if he's alone, though. I want to minimize any SHIELD interaction." Tony smirked a little at Loki. "Also, grant executive access to Mr Loki, he'll be staying with us for a while."

"Very good, sir. Welcome Mr Loki," the AI greeted and Loki found himself intrigued. "Sir, I've detected a power input change to the arc reactor since arriving. It seems that it's powered at 112%, and it rising. This could become dangerous for the vibranium core."

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot about that," Tony coughed a little and Loki moved over to him.

"I had not forgotten that we need to take care of this." Loki moved to unbutton Tony's shirt and he scooted a little. Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, natural reaction," Tony waved his hand a little. "I wanna know what's wrong before you start working some mojo again."

Loki could feel any magic still in his body when Tony spoke. He had underestimated the control that Tony had over his magic. "I fear that the spell I performed in Asgard has melded with negative effect back on Midgard," Loki started to explain. "Upon returning your arc reactor should have started to work again, thus rendering the need for my spell unneeded. But also upon our return I was unable to withdraw the power from your reactor because of your unfortunate teammates, and their distrust."

"So, your power is affecting my reactor, and making me more like you?" Tony was a genius, and but it was taking him a little longer to wrap his mind around the way that magic worked. "Is that the reason that I've been feeling, off, since we got back?"

"It depends on the way that you use the word, but yes, it would make you feel different than usual," Loki nodded. "What I was suggesting, and going to do was to allow me to remove the magic from your reactor. I certainly can not have you dying since my banishment is so reliant upon you staying alive."

"Okay, yeah, I'm all for this, go ahead. Does this mean that you're just going to reverse whatever you did to me up there?" Tony had started to unbutton his shirt, more than willing to let Loki take away any danger to the reactor.

"Unfortunately I will not be able to reverse the entire spell," Loki murmured as he motioned for Tony to lay on the bed. "That requires much more power than i have at this moment, thanks to Odin."

"Oh." Tony contemplated this until Loki put a hand over his reactor and they both started to glow. Tony gasped a little as he watched the power flow from the reactor to Loki's hand, feeling it pull from the rest of his body. After several moments the glow stopped and Tony felt him slump further into the bed, and groaned slightly. "That is not a pleasant experience."

"No, I imagine it being similar to the palladium removal," Loki commented as he almost fell onto the bed, gathering his energy. "I see what you see, remember," he reminded when Tony opened his mouth to comment.

After several moments Tony spoke again. "Am I still going to start acting lie you even if the spell is actually gone, gone?"

"I can not say," Loki responded. "I myself have never actually performed that spell before. It is to be used for dire situations."

"Well, I'm glad to know that mine was a dire situation," Tony smirked slightly. "Although, I do have to wonder, why exactly did you save my life up there? You could have easily let it go, let me suffer up there."

Loki blinked a little. He was trying to answer that question to himself since it happened. "I suppose that since all the stories you have heard of me, and all that you seen of me, have been nothing but slights in your eyes. Would it really surprise you that before all this I was not as evil as I seem?" Because the only way to answer a question is by not answering it.

"Kind of," Tony shrugged then turned his head to look at Loki. "I should point out that you're having a conversation with a genius, and you can't be vague with me. You still didn't answer my question."

"It would seem that our wits are matched, are they not?" Loki raised an eyebrow at him. "As much as I have not answered your question, you still have not placated your Director Fury." Loki frowned a little and placed a hand on his stomach. "Hm, it would seem that I require some of your mortal nourishment."

"Food, you need food," Tony slowly pushed himself up. "Come on, we'll head down to the kitchen, I'll show you a few tips and tricks to living the Earth way." Loki scowled a little but followed Tony out of the room and down the stairs.

Tony had found a frozen pizza in the freezer and thought that would work as well as anything for the time being. He hadn't exactly been to the Malibu mansion in a while and would have to go out and get food since he didn't really trust anyone else to get it for him without demanding he come back to SHIELD.

"Stark," Tony looked up from drink he had be nursing to see the screen drop down with Fury's face on it. It seemed he had calmed down slightly, but not enough for Tony.

"I see that SHIELD has been working on those security upgrades since I hacked my way in. It's takes some skill to get past JARVIS like that," Tony sighed and stood up a little taller while Loki was exploring the kitchen behind him.

"You better believe that I did not find your little act funny, but there are still some things that need to be cleared up." Fury was trying not to yell at him, and Tony felt that he could work with this.

"I'll share if you share," Tony smirked a little. "In fact, let me start. I wasn't lying when I said that I had found out that Loki was under the same kind of control that Barton and Selvig had been under. He had the same eyes changey thing as the others."

"This was something that you couldn't share with the rest of us?" Tony gave points to Fury for keeping a decent talking volume.

"Well, it was hard to when as soon as I found out we were sending him back to Asgard," Tony explained. "I didn't have much time to figure it out. As for ending up on Asgard, let me tell you that was not in my plans, and I could have done without the surprise."

"Never would we appoint you as Ambassador to Midgard, Stark. Never." Tony pouted a little and put a hand to his chest.

"That hurts, right here, Nick, right here."

"I wish I could hurt you myself." Fury sighed a little. "Why did Loki save you, and what did he do to you?"

Tony could hear cabinet doors opening and closing int he background, the jingle of glasses and dishes being examined and replaced. "We're still working on the why, and as for the what, I'm not actually sure. He and Odin said something about giving me some of his magic and energy, ro something, keep my arc reactor going. From what I can gather it seems like it's advanced stuff up there."

"This hasn't placed you under his influence has it?" Fury asked carefully. Tony could understand why he needed to know. If only he would have asked this nicely the first time, and not have thrown him in a cell.

"No, it actually seems that this would be more harmful to Loki than to me." Loki wandered past Tony in the background holding some different fruits and vegetables in his hand. Fury raised an eyebrow but the god had walked off screen and Tony seemed to have not noticed.

"You've become a glorified babysitter then?" Fury asked. It seemed that he had been talking to Thor. Good, now Tony didn't need to explain something he wasn't sure about himself.

"Yeah," Tony shrugged as Loki walked back across the screen empty handed. "I said that I might have had a few ideas that Loki could help me with in preparing some new defense for Midgard, trying to prevent future attacks from other planets and stuff." Fury nodded thoughtfully. "Also, Loki says that he can't use his magic, which has been weakened anyway, without my express permission." Loki walked back again with a blender in his hands.

"So are you saying that he's pretty much harmless right now?" Fury asked, taking in all the information.

"For the most part," Tony shrugged a little. Fury zoomed the picture out without Tony knowing and saw Loki throwing things into the blender. He wondered how Tony hadn't noticed. Fury needed a laugh, even if it was only in his head. Loki had hit one of the buttons and the blender jumped on the counter suddenly, various foods flying out of the blender, juices being shot everywhere and the blender falling off of the counter. Loki had jumped back, covering his head and Tony fell back on his side after getting pelted in the head by a lemon.

"Yes, harmless indeed," Fury muttered before ending the call.


	9. Chapter 9

"What was that?" Tony rubbed his head and saw the mess that had been created. "I thought that you had more sense than Thor. And what was a whole lemon doing in the blender?" If Tony was honest with himself he was more upset that Fury had seen the little incident.

"It is apparent that the top was not secure on the device," Loki was wiping away some stray fruit juices that had gotten on his clothes. "Also, which one was the lemon?"

Tony held up the offending fruit then threw it in the garbage can. "There are so many thing that you have to learn before using the appliances in this room. I'm afraid to have you any where near the knives."

"Oh, I know what knives are," Loki grinned. "No worries about that, Stark. I did not wish to listen to Fury talk on and on and became curious about your Migardian foods." He scowled a little and started to undo the straps of his outfit, slipping off the jacket. "I hold no such curiosities anymore, for I wish to remove this from my clothes."

"Yeah, I'll have to get it dry cleaned," Tony looked at his reflection in the refrigerator, looking at the red spot on his forehead. "Unless you wanna use your magic, I'd hate to hear you whine about how I made all your leather sticky."

Loki grinned a little as he ran his fingers over the offending spots of his clothes and they disappeared. "Yes, that will do just fine." He left his jacket and belts on the counter and looked around the kitchen, rubbing his hands together. "What else is there that I can satiate my curiosity with?"

"You mean what else can you use to torture me? I think not," Tony rubbed her head and turned to look at the god. "Did you cause this much trouble when you were younger?"

"I brought some Frost Giants in to have a little fun during my brothers supposed coronation as King," Loki replied easily, lifting himself to sit on the counter.

"That was just having fun?" Tony's eyes widened a little. "I think I got off easy." Loki snorted, a small smirk on his face.

"Yes, this time it was an accident, imagine what I could do when I actually set a tiny bit of effort into it."

"I'd rather not." Tony sighed and turned then noticed a large red spot of pureed strawberry on his shirt. "Not my shirt too!" Tony sighed then stripped his shirt off, carefully not to get any of the juices in his hair. Tony blinked as he watched the smaller man take care with his shirt, and if his eyes lingered on his chest it was because he wanted to make sure that there was nothing wrong with the arc reactor. The reactor was the only thing that mattered.

Loki coughed and turned away, looking around the kitchen as tony balled up his shirt. "Don't get into too much trouble, I need to change my clothes. I don't have magic like you do." Loki nodded as Tony left the room, and he felt his eye twitch slightly.

"Mortals."

* * *

Tony led Loki down to the lab and opened the door. "Wake up, wake up!" Tony called out and the lights and monitors started to turn on. Loki looked around as everything came to life. "I'm back from vacation." Loki jumped when he saw a couple of robots start to move and quickly caught up to Tony.

"I fear what could be accomplished in this place," Loki commented, then his eyes caught the past Iron Man suits in the wall. "Or what has been accomplished."

"No need to worry, this time," Tony tried not to smirk. "Since you've been accepted into the system by JARVIS, they shouldn't bother you. Except for DUM-E, he doesn't even listen to me."

"Dummy?" Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Oh trust me, you'll meet later." Tony sighed as he brought up a key board and started to type away. Loki leaned over and looked to see that there were two keyboards, one projected onto the desk, and in a language that he didn't understand.

"I have a feeling that you spend a lot of time down here," He noted the tiny kitchen in the corner with a couch and TV on the wall.

"This is the home away from home," Tony nodded. "JARVIS, new file please, on my personal server. Title it Green Defense."

"Of course, sir." Some screens started to pop up around Tony and he dragged some images around throwing them in the picture of the folder.

"You said you weren't an expert in science," Tony looked over at Loki, "but do you wanna start learning about it? Something tells me that you'd catch on pretty quick." Loki raised an eyebrow as he took the seat that Tony wasn't going to sit in. "I figured it'd keep you from getting bored, and I wouldn't have to explain everything that I'm trying to do."

"It depends on what kind of science you are talking about," Loki started, glancing over at one of Tony's screens. "While I said that I wasn't an expert, I mean that I had had the time to study all of your sciences, specifically what you have come up with yourself." Tony blinked a little and looked at him. "I am most interested to see how you're going to translate my powers into scientific equations though."

"So you can understand mathematics, and probably physics and the like, but you mess up with a blender?" Tony would have face palmed if he wanted to. He didn't want to give Loki any ideas.

"As I had previously stated, that incident was an accident, the top was not completely secure," Loki sighed.

"And somehow I'm the only one that got hurt," Tony grumbled.


	10. Chapter 10

Loki sat with his back against the headboard that night reading through some of Tony's old notebooks. He compares the notes with what he knew of Midgardian science and could see what the mortals considered him a genius. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't look away, when he heard the door open.

"I managed to make some food," Tony said as he walked in carrying a tray. "I mostly had JARVIS help me, so no worries about it being poisoned."

"I feel that I would have better luck in cooking than you would," Loki lowered the notebook to see that there were two plates on the tray.

"How is that Thor can't work a toaster, but you seem to have a very firm grasp everything else?" Tony raised an eyebrow as he set the tray down on the bed.

"Unlike Thor," Loki started as he placed the notebook with the others on the side table, "I valued knowledge. I spent what time I could in the libraries with the books. I learned all the spells I could, then started to make my own. When I was I old enough I would come down to Midgard and learn from them." He nodded his head in gratitude as he took the plate Tony offered him.

Tony took his own plate and sat in the chair just to the side of the bed. "Well, that explains a lot." Tony nodded a little. "So I'm gonna propose something a little crazy," Loki raised his eyes at Tony. "Since we're gonna be stuck together for a while, I think that we should be honest with each other." Loki froze with a forkful of mashed potatoes half way to his mouth. "I know, crazy thought, you being the God of Lies-"

"That's wrong," Loki interrupted him. "I am called Liesmith, and Silvertongue, but I am the God of Mischief, and of Fire, but not Lies."

"See, there we go, we've already started," Tony nodded a little. "Although I do feel a little at a disadvantage, you saw most of my life back up in Asgard, so you'll have nothing to ask me to be honest about as we get to know each other."

"Get to know each other?" Loki questioned. "I did not know that that was part of this situation."

"It's only natural," Tony told him.

"I see. But it is not completely true, that you have nothing to be honest about," Loki took a drink of the beverage and noted that it was cold, and slightly thick, but fruity and rather good. "You stopped Odin from seeing most of my actions while on Midgard. I can not help but to wonder why."

Tony almost choked on his drink and grabbed a napkin to cough into. "Well, it wasn't for your benefit, if that's what you were thinking." Tony started to poke around the food on his plate.

"Perhaps, we could reach an agreement," Loki said tentatively. He had no idea why he would offer such a thing. Perhaps he was feeling throw off over everything that had happened in the past week, at least with the Avengers. With Tony. "I should like to know why you stopped Odin from seeing your memories, and you may ask two questions of me that I normally would not answer."

"How am I supposed to know if you won't answer them?" Tony raised an eyebrow. He watched Loki take another bite of his food, leaving the form in mouth a little longer than normal, thinking. Tony did not want to be that fork.

"I shall let you know," Loki nodded. "Although I would like to know what this drink is, I quite like it."

"It's called a smoothie," Tony told him, then smirked lightly. "It's something that you make in the blender. You know, the one you decked me with."

"Hm, this is something that I would like to know how to make." Loki nodded as he took another drink, to confirm his thoughts.

"Okay, counter offer," Tony said. "We answer questions down in the kitchen. I need a drink anyway," he muttered the last part under his breath.

"That will be an acceptable offer," Loki nodded. He hadn't finished all of his food, but he was sure that it would be waiting for him afterwards.

Loki followed Tony back downstairs to the kitchen, and Tony noticed that all the dishes he had almost ruined were now cleared away. He idly wondered if DUM-E had been up here, and if he actually needed to replace all of the dishes. Loki went to reach for the blender and Tony moved it away. "Prep first, my dear."

Tony walked over to the fridge and opened the doors, sliding the fruit drawer open. "Well, we're getting limited to what's here, I think tomorrow I'm gonna have to go out and actually do some shopping." Tony paused for a second. "JARVIS, make a grocery list for me to follow."

"Of course, sir," JARVIS answered right away, and then kept going much to Tony's dismay. "Would you like me to correlate the list to the order that you will first find the food? Or perhaps provide a map of the grocery store?"

"Your sass is not needed, JARVIS," Tony growled and Loki was chuckling. "I'll just take Loki with me." Loki stopped laughing and Tony smirked. He pulled out a few lemon, including the one that had left it's mark, and yes he knew exactly which lemon it was, a couple bananas, a jar of cherries, and some raspberries.

"Alright, so I get two questions," Tony murmured to himself. He had started to peek the bananas and slice one of them when he stopped and looked at Loki. "How about one, for now? What were you so scared of that made you not want to try and escape? You had chances to get away from us but you decided that you would either go to Asgard or stay here. Why? What's out there?" Tony had tried asking him before but Loki had refused to answer.

Loki stiffened a little and the two men stared at each other. "I can not say his name," Loki finally answered. "To call his name would be to call his gaze upon me, and that is something I wish not to do." Tony nodded a little, then turned back to cutting the bananas, knowing Loki would keep talking. "He will be looking for me, of that I have no doubt. The Chitauri followed him mindlessly, no doubt in fear of death, which would be why they fear nothing else. No, he will be looking for me, and he will not rest. Whatever punishment your SHIELD or Asgard had planned for me, it would be a sweeter relief than what he will do to me."

Tony had stopped slicing the banana and stared at the wall in front of him as Loki spoke. Tony lived everyday with a threat hanging over his head, he was Tony Stark and Iron Man, but his enemies were probably not as bad as Loki's.

"I can't imagine that this guy is very happy with me sending a nuke as his army," Tony muttered, trying to keep things light. He was failing.

"No, I imagine not," Loki shook his head. "But I believe that it will take some time for him to find me. His forces are crippled to near extinction, and he did not have enough power to get what he had intended to use me for. I will have time."

"We'll have time," Tony corrected. "If you're here with me, then this is a we thing." Loki tilted his head slightly. "I mean, I did kind of piss off Odin just to bring you back down here. And I'm sure this new defense thing we're working on will help whenever this big bad decides to come."

"You are a strange human," Loki told him as he walked over to see what Tony was throwing into the blender.

"I'm gonna try two things," Tony told him as he threw the banana slices in. "Banana's and raspberries." He threw the red berries in, then went to the freezer and filled a bowl with ice. As he threw it in the blender her took the top and put it on, then took Loki's hand and put it on top. He kept his hand on top of Loki's for a few second more than was probably needed. "Keep your hand there, don't take it off."

Loki kept his hand there as Tony managed the controls, the blades turning the ingredients into the same thickness as the drink Loki had previously had. The berries had quickly turned it to red though, and Loki had to raise an eyebrow.

Tony grabbed two small pitchers and started to shake the contents of the blender into one of the pitchers. "Grab a knife and cut that those lemons in half would ya?" Loki nodded as Tony started to rinse out the container. "I'm gonna try cherries with some lemon juice, and maybe throw in some ice cream."

"You mean the frozen desert made from the givings of the bovine?" Tony stopped and slowly turned to look at Loki. "What?"

"Givings of the bovine? Seriously, what the hell?" Tony start to dry out the blender and walk back over. "You are going to learn Earth slang if it kills me."

"It just might," Loki pointed out. Tony rolled his eyes and put the first pitcher in the freezer so it didn't melt. "Now, i think that it is your turn to answer my question." Loki had not forgotten the other half of the deal.

"Uh, yeah," Tony nodded and drained the jar of cherries of it's juices, before dumping the contents in with some more ice. He took a lemon half and started to squeeze it, catching seeds with his hand. "I didn't exactly want Odin to know what went on until I was able to tell him about my theories, about you, and I didn't want him tapping into my emotions like that." He didn't want Odin to know that he may or may not have a thing for his adopted son. Tony didn't want himself to know that he may or may not have a thing for Loki.

"Would it be easier for to try and read your emotions myself?" Loki offered, only half joking. Tony only half accepted.

"Uh, I, no. I'm a big boy, I'm can get through this." He drained another lemon before walking over to get the container of vanilla bean ice cream. "I did not want him to see that while everyone else was looking at you with intent to kill, I was looking at you with intense curiosity." Loki looked over at Tony. "He especially didn't need to know about when you threw me out the window." Tony shook his head a little. Yeah, he still replayed that scene seconds before he was thrown out the window. He was wearing out his own memory.

He jumped when Loki was suddenly in front him, their chests almost touching. Loki lifted a thumb to ghost over the corner of Tony's lips. Tony can feel his chest moving a little more as he breathing speeds up, but he doesn't move.

"Was it selfishness that drove you to delay my sentencing?" Loki whispered and Tony can feel it through out his body. "Was it want that sent you down to my cell those nights?"

"Curiosity, mostly," Tony breathes out.

"About what?" Loki leans his face near Tony's and Tony can feel how his breath is warm and oddly cool at the same time. "About me?"

"About this." Tony puts a hand behind Loki's neck and captures Loki's lips with his own.


	11. Chapter 11

Loki's eyes widened a little when Tony made his move. He quickly took control and turned Tony, pressing his back against the counter. He wrapped around arm around Tony's waist as his tongue ran across Tony's bottom lip. Tony moaned slightly and opened his mouth for Loki.

Tony had to pull away to breath, and his eyes were slightly glazed as he took deep breaths. "Oh, I am so going to die now," he murmured and Loki smirked. He pulled away from Loki and ran a hand through his hair. "JARVIS, please take that footage and move it to my secure server, delete it from the others."

Loki raised an eyebrow as he turned and crossed his arms casually, leaning on the counter now. "Going to use the images to help you sleep at night?"

"No," Tony denied. I'd rather use the real thing to help me sleep, he thought. "I'd just rather not let Fury see that, or heaven forbid, Thor. I kind of like living." Loki snorted slightly and Tony felt himself smirk. Somewhere inside he was excited, happy that he hadn't misread Loki's intentions.

"Wait," Tony turned quickly to look at Loki. "You did that when you were tossing me out my tower, but you were still, mind-jacked, when it happened."

"I was not under a complete control," Loki told him, sighing slightly. "I was still able to have my own thoughts. We had not met before this, Anthony, remember that."

Tony bit his lip a little, and no he wasn't doing it just so he could get another taste of Loki's lips, and ran his hand once again through his hair. "Yeah, right," Tony nodded a little. "So we should maybe try to do some more experiments today," he tried to change the subject. What he really needed was time to do what he would never do. Explore his feelings.

Loki watched Tony with interest, could feel the conflicting thoughts and emotions rolling from the mortal. Mortals were strange creatures, and wasn't sure why he wanted to understand this one.

* * *

Tony threw clothes in Loki's room later that day. "You're gonna wanna put those on, can't have you going out in public with that leather on. Not that you wouldn't fit in." Tony leaned against Loki's door and crossed his arms. We need to get some food, and I'm making you come with me."

"So I am to blend in, then?" Loki had gotten up from his chair and held up the clothes. He noted the jeans that looked much like the ones that Tony wore, but instead of the t-shirts he preferred Loki had been provided with dark green button up shirt and a grey vest.

"I figured you be into the more distinguished, good fashion, kind of guy." Tony shrugged a little, not int he least curious as to how Loki was going to look once he had changed. Tony clapped his hands. "Alright, let's get a move on. We have a prime window of shopping where the store won't be too crowded, and I won't be too recognized."

* * *

Tony stood with the cart in an aisle staring at all the different cans of soup and let out a sigh. This is why he didn't go shopping often, or at all if he could avoid it. Sometimes he had random thought that if he ever settled down and had kids that he'd go out shopping with his family. It'd be a thing, and he could appreciate that. he liked having things. But the woman that was approaching him down the aisle was not the person he wanted to have a thing with right now.

"Once you decide on the kind of soup you want, you then have to decide which brand you want," she smiled at him shyly. Tony inwardly groaned. What kind of pick up line was that?

"Yeah," he nodded a little. "Can't say you have too few choices though." Tony reached out and grabbed the first can he put his eyes one, (broccoli and cheddar?) and put it in his cart.

"That's actually one of my favourites," the woman continued before Tony had even set the can down.

"I hear it's a good one, haven't actually tried it myself yet." He froze a little when an arm wound around his waist from behind and he glanced over his shoulder. Loki was looking at the woman as he slipped something in the cart. Tony really didn't care what it was when Loki pressed a quick peck to his cheek.

"I found those cherries, we can try that new smoothie recipe when we get home," Loki said by Tony's ear. Tony shivered a little and smirked.

"Great, we still didn't try the other one I made," he noticed the woman start to walk back down the aisle, away from the two. "Either you had that planned out, or you were jealous that I was might have my attention diverted to someone other than you."

Loki let go of Tony and raised an eyebrow. "It is unlikely that she would understand any of your talks of engineering. Now shall we continue so we can leave this wretched mortal establishment?"

"For once I'm going to have to agree." Tony would never admit that he missed the arm around his waist, even if it was just a ploy.

Did he really miss it though? Everyone knew that Tony like skirt danger, invited it. He had taken that nuke without a second thought, you couldn't get much more dangerous right? So did he have an infatuation with Loki because he knew the god was dangerous? He had only known Loki when there was danger, even inside his house. Loki had said that there was someone looking for him. So did he want to work and help Loki to save him, because he was in danger? Or did he actually want Loki?


	12. Chapter 12

Tony found that over the next four days he had plenty of time to think. Apart from some teasing whenever Loki and Tony were int he same room together, nothing happened between them. They worked int he lab together, Loki more about science and Tony's invention, and Tony learning about Loki's magic. Tony wanted to try and meld science and magic into one. He was just a little upset that he couldn't do any magic himself.

"That may not be absolutely true," Loki commented and Tony whipped his head around to look at him. "Even Thor is able to perform magic, and I was not born on Asgard."

"Are you trying to say that anyone can do it?" Tony's eyes widened a little.

"Well, not exactly," Tony slumped a little. "At least not to the extent that I, or Odin, can work the energy." Loki turned in his chair. "That is essentially what it is, working the energy that is within you, and what you draw from what is around you. Midgard is a surprisingly abundant realm for energy."

"Can you teach me anything about it? I mean, I have no problem working with energy, clearly," Tony gestured towards his chest.

Loki looked at Tony for a moment, then nodded. "It can not hurt to try. Especially if it will help this research go faster. We will need a large room, that is not so crowded." Tony grabbed Loki's wrist and pulled him out of the lab and up the stairs.

They walked into the training room and Tony let go of Loki and started pushing chairs and tables out the way, then started rolling up mats. "Will this do?" Loki looked around then nodded.

"JARVIS? Would you please dim the lights and block the windows?" Tony always thought that if JARVIS were human, he and Loki would have tea every afternoon and speak politely to each other. The lights dimmed down as one by one the window panels shut out the light from outside. "I'll need access to my magic." Loki looked at Tony and waved him over towards the center of the room.

"Right, of course, have the all access you need for this," Tony nodded walking over. Loki sat down and Tony followed suit. When Loki reached out his hands Tony looked at them then put his hands in Loki's, feeling a course of energy rush through them both.

"You will need to do something akin to what you mortals call meditating. We will need to see if you have a core." Tony raised an eyebrow. "A core that can be expanded to hold different energies."

"Not my arc reactor?" Tony questioned.

"Not the arc reactor," Loki shook his head. "Now, close your eyes, I shall help you find it, if you indeed have it." Tony took a breath then closed his eyes, determined not to think he probably looked silly. Meditating wasn't something that Tony Stark did. He usually did the exact opposite.

Tony shivered a little when felt tingles running up his arms, through his body and around his chest. As he took a couple of deep breaths he thought he saw something, a faint light. He didn't hear anything from the house around him, or even Loki's breathing and opened his eyes. Tony blinked a couple of times when he saw that he was standing in an empty room with blue walls.

"My, my, Anthony Stark," Tony jumped when he heard Loki's voice but didn't see the man anywhere. "You seem to have a touch of destiny about you." Tony groaned as Loki chuckled a little.

"Well, you're not watching anymore Pirates of the Caribbean movies," Tony muttered.

"Oh, but I should like to know what happens to Captain Jack. His insanity intrigues me," Loki almost sounded disappointed.

"Can we get on with this?" Tony started to tap his foot a little.

"Of course," Loki chuckled a little. "You indeed have a core, that may be why it was so easy for me to cast that spell back on Asgard. The energies of my magic flowed with no problem through your body, powering your arc reactor."

"That's good right?" Tony looked around. "That means that we can get out of here and I can start learning spells right? Become the next Harry Potter?"

"No, it does not," Loki informed him. "Just because I have found your core does not mean we are done. You must find your Core, Tony. It is essential."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?" Tony wished he could see Loki so he could give him a couple of crude gestures.

"I would start by walking through that door." Tony blinked then turned around and saw a door set in one of the walls. Tony walked over and opened it, poking his hide inside. It was another room, but with three more doors. "You have quite a labyrinth inside of yourself, Tony. I suggest you pay attention."

After what seemed like hours Tony walked into another room and saw that there were two doors on one wall. "Please tell me this is the end," Tony muttered.

"Only if you pick the right door," Loki told him.

Tony walked over to the doors. If he picked the wrong one he might have to start the maze all over again, and Tony Stark did not like to give up on a puzzle. He placed a hand on one door handle but didn't turn it. He bit his lip then walked over to the other door. This door felt right, he wasn't sure how. He opened it and was happily greeted by not another blue room, it looked like some kind of planetarium. Tony walked inside slowly and could see many stars and galaxies around him.

Tony turned around then stopped when saw a golden light that seemed out of place. He started to walk towards it, then gasped when the floor fell out from under his feet. He was falling, but he knew he need to get to that light. Tony closed his eyes wishing that he had the Iron Man suit with him. He could hear Steve's words, telling him that he was nothing without his suit. Iron Man was the hero, not Tony Stark.

"Tony!" Tony's eyes shot open when he heard Loki's voice. "What are you doing?"

"I think it must look like I'm failing," Tony bit out, keeping the panic back from his voice.

"Tony, do you trust me?" Tony blinked at the words.

"Uh, well, yes," Tony nodded a little. He did, he knew he did. "If I didn't I wouldn't have trusted my life to you that day."

"Good. Tony, you do know that I trust you, right?" Tony blinked but nodded. "Then why don't you trust yourself?"

Tony swallowed as Loki's words echoed in his mind. Did he trust himself? He'd have to fly around as Iron Man all the time, right? No, he didn't need trust to do that, just a drive to do it. That was different than trust. Why didn't he trust himself? If he could trust Loki, and Loki had admitted to sharing mutual feelings, then why was it so hard for him? Tony turned and had to shield his eyes when a glow came into his vision.

Tony gasped for air and his eyes shot open. He was on his back and he saw the ceiling of his mansion again. A warmth was spreading through his body, starting in his chest. Loki leaned over Tony and smiled. Tony's breath caught at the sheer emotion in that expression.

"Congratulations, you have found your core, and yourself." Loki grinned as Tony started to laugh.

* * *

"What's bothering you, Tony?" Pepper asked her boss as they talked on the phone that night. "You've asked me all about the company, then told me about how your research was going. You only talk business when something is bothering you." Tony blinked a little and cursed his CEO. She knew him too well. "Are you eating?"

"Three meals a day. Did you know that Loki is actually a competent chef?" It seemed that Loki made a new smoothies flavor every night, too.

"You aren't sleeping are you? Tony, you sound tired. You aren't spending all night in your lab are you?" It wouldn't be news to her if he said yes.

"Yes to the no sleep, no to the lab part." He leaned back against the headboard of his bed. "It's not for lack of trying, I go to bed, and then I sit there. I can't sleep."

"Then there must be something on your mind that's keeping you from sleeping." He could hear Pepper shuffle around her bedroom. If it was dark in Malibu it must be pretty late for her, and she had been the one to call him. "Is it Loki?"

Tony sighed. "Yeah, a little. You know I don't do emotions, Pep."

"Yeah, I know," she snorted. "Tony, tell me, has there been any sort of danger the past four days?"

"No, just the opposite. We've been working in the lab, and I've been teaching him about sciencey stuff. he even started to teach me about magic today," Tony got a little excited as he talked about it. "Apparently I'm a very special mortal, I can conduct magical energies quite well."

"And when you try to go to sleep you can't, because you're thinking about him?" Pepper knew she was going to have to point out the obvious to Tony. Tony chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully, not noticing his bedroom open.

"Well, yeah, but I don't-"

"Tony, are you dense? When we talk all you do is talk about what you and Loki did together, what Loki taught you today, what you're gonna teach Loki tomorrow, or what smoothie you and Loki made that night." Tony frowned a little. "My god Tony, you don't see it? You need to ask yourself, are you in love with Loki?"

Tony's eyes widened a little. He swallowed a little and turned, his eyes then spotting a slightly stunned looking Loki. They stared at each other until Tony finally answered.

"Yeah, yeah I am."


	13. Chapter 13

Tony pushed himself up from the bed, eyes still locked on Loki. "Tony? Did you just- Wait, what did you just say?" Neither one was really paying much attention to Pepper.

"I said that I love Loki." Tony repeated. "I know a week is kind of crazy, but-"

"Tony, a week with you is like dogs years, I already told you that," Pepper reminded him. "If it's taken you a week to say that love someone, and you haven't even slept with him yet, Tony I'm apt to believe you. my god is must be true."

"Yeah, it is. I'll talk to you later Pep." JARVIS ended the call and Tony took a few steps towards Loki.

"I had just come up here to see if you, um, wanted some dessert," Loki mumbled. "I didn't mean to-" Tony had crossed the distance and wrapped a hand around Loki's neck and pulled him closer. The kiss was gentle, not like the first one they shared. Tony did like to talk about emotions, but he could sure as hell show Loki how he felt.

"So I should let you know, I'm kind of new to this whole love thing," Tony whispered against Loki's neck after he had pulled away. "But I hear that it's a good thing."

"So far it seems to be a marvelous thing," Loki murmured back, wrapping an arm around Tony's waist. Tony grinned a little and dropped kissed on Loki's neck before he found a particularly sensitive spot and he paid a little more attention there. Loki groaned softly and ran his other hand through Tony's hair.

"Good thing you didn't bring those smoothies up here, they'd be melted," Tony chuckled as Loki rolled his eyes.

* * *

"I was wondering a few things," Tony said the next day while they were in the lab. Tony had set production on a container that could possibly hold energies, that could then be turned into a detector. "I've been researching some Norse mythology." Loki looked up at that. "Ignoring Ragnarok, which obviously hasn't happened-"

"Yet," Loki interrupted. "That is still a prophecy for me."

"Right, well, ignoring that. How many kids do you have?" Loki groaned a little and Tony leaned his head on his hands. "Eight legged horse? Giant wolf?"

"Sleipnir is a shapshifter, like myself," Loki sat up in his chair a little. "Only he has been cursed into his current form, and acts as Odin's steed." And if Loki seemed a little bitter about that Tony wasn't going to fault him. "Fenrir came to Midgard and took the form of a wolf, but has been denied the option to come back to Asgard for past crimes, also unable to take his natural form." Tony blinked a little. The years had not been kind to Loki. "As for the serpent Jormungandr, he is like my child because he is a creation of my magic. As a child I grew lonely and bored when Thor would go out on the hunt, and I did not wish to go."

"Do you have any kids that aren't in the shape or some kind of animal?"

"Oh yes, there is Vali, Nari, and Heal," Loki nodded. "Hela is my only daughter, and ruler of the realm of the dead, Hel."

Tony licked his lips a little. "Well, that's encouraging." Loki did go on about his other two sons, and Tony didn't ask. He thought he had read something about someone's entrails being used, and didn't think that was a subject to be brought up. "Do you still see any of them?" If Tony's voice got soft, neither commented on it.

"I am allowed to see Sleipnir, and Hela, but not very often." Tony sensed a finality in Loki's voice, ending the topic. Tony pushed himself up and walked over to Loki. He stood next to the god for a few moments before he looked up. Tony pressed a kiss to Loki's forehead and walked back to his desk. Loki blinked but went back to his own readings and notes. He kept the smile tucked inside.

* * *

Two nights later JARVIS announced they had a visitor as they started to make smoothies. Loki frowned a little as Tony raised an eyebrow, reluctantly making his way tot he door. He was almost expecting Phil to be there, since he hadn't seen the man yet, but wasn't disappointed when he saw Pepper standing there.

"Pepper!" Tony's was still surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to come and see this with my own eyes," she eyed Tony with a raised eyebrow. "You should put a shirt on."

"It was on, about ten minutes ago. You're timing is kind of horrible." She rolled her eyes and walked in. Tony smirked a little and started to head back to the kitchen. Pepper watched him and tilted her head a little.

"Anthony Stark," Tony stopped at her exclamation. "You're limping a little, aren't you? Oh my god, you're the woman in this relationship." Tony's eyes widened a little, his cheeks getting warmer.

"Virginia Potts, you should wash your mouth out!" Tony turned to look at her. Loki had sauntered into the room to see what the commotion was. "How would you know about things like that?"

"I went to college Tony," Pepper smirked, and she briefly caught Loki's eyes but didn't let Tony know. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know that," Tony mumbled, crossing his arms. "And I have no problem with it."

"You would just rather no one else knew, that the great Tony Stark, playboy extreme, plays at the bottom of the dog pile."

Loki started to laugh and Tony whipped around. "I like this Pepper, she has her own way with words." Tony rubbed his face, hoping that it wasn't turning red. "We were making smoothies, a nightly experiment lately. Would you like to join us?"

"It would be my pleasure," Pepper smiled. "I'd love to get to know the man that has inspired such emotion in my boss." Loki held out his arm and Pepper took it.

"I must say it is a breath of fresh air to talk with someone who is not accusing me of manipulating Tony, or plotting more schemes." Loki pulled out a stool for Pepper and she sat down as Tony followed.

"Well, I talk with Tony, a lot, and he seems to have faith and trust in you. And while most of the time his makes monumentally bad choices, he has a few good ideas." Tony looks between Pepper and Loki as they talk, wondering how it will go. "I would have to say that while his plan started off as one of his bigger blunders, it actually turned into," she tapped his chin as she thought of a word, "turned into exactly what he needed."

Loki regards her, a straight face, not saying anything. He let the tiniest of smirks hit the corner of his lip and turns back to the blender. "So, Tony tells me your allergic to strawberries. Shall we tried blackberries in the smoothies?" That's when Tony knows that that all of this is going to work for him.

Pepper ends up staying at the mansion with them, taking care of Stark Industries while Tony and Loki work in the labs.

It's a week later when Phil Coulson shows up at his door. But not for some rest.

* * *

Tony was leaning against the wall, behind Loki who had chosen to take a seat, as the other Avengers sit across from them. Tony still isn't sure how they got talked into going to the Hellicarrier. Fury walks in with an envelope and looks around. "We've got some strange readings, that have significant resemblance to a certain portal that opened in New York two weeks ago."

If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain.

Loki felt something in his stomach tighten and his breath hitched a little. Tony blinked then turned to look at the God. Maybe they were connected more than Loki thought. "I believe that they have found me."

Tony's eyes widened a little as the others looked confused. "Fuck," Tony breathed out. "Probably not a good idea to be trapped in the air then." Loki nodded once and stood up.

"What the hell is going on?" Bruce watched them curiously.

"We have to get this Hellicarrier somewhere else, not in the air," Tony told them quickly. "We're about to get another unearthly visit."

"Does he have something to do with this?" Fury asked, making no qualms about implicating Loki.

"Sure, in the fact that he's the one their hunting for and want to torture," Tony shot back. "Get this things on the ground, water, whatever! If we get hit in the air it's not going to end well for anyone."

"Any idea about how long until they get here?" Steve asked, ready to make some plans.

Loki closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling he was getting. "Not long, maybe an hour." Fury nodded and left the room first to give the orders to dock. "They'll come straight here, so there should be very little worry about involving any more civilians."

"That's good, we can work with that." Clint looked like he wanted to argue with Steve, but kept his mouth closed. "What are we looking at? More Chitauri?"

"Most likely not, although there may be a few to come and exact their revenge," Loki answered more calmly than anyone would have thought. "Thanos will-"

"Thanos?" Thor immediately stepped forward.

"I thought we weren't allowed to say his name," Tony held up a finger.

"He already knows where I am," Loki replied. "Yes, Thor, him. He was the one that found me after my fall from the bi-frost. He is not very happy with my failure. He will be coming with his own army, of those he has threatened and fooled into serving him."

"Who is this guy?" Bruce asked, holding onto his glasses.

"We do not know much about him except that he is an enemy of Asgard as well," Thor said. He was stopped long ago from attempting the destruction and take over of the Nine Realms, and we took a weapon from him."

"There is no doubt that he will come here for me, then go to Asgard for the tesseract and the infinity gauntlet." Loki rubbed his arm a little. "He will not have all of his power, that is for certain."

"Then why come here first," Natasha asked. "Why not go to Asgard first? Not that I want the destruction of Earth or anything. Already stopped it once thank you."

"He knows that if he went to Asgard with Loki, Odin would easier to manipulate," Tony answered for them. "It's a classic technique used all the time. Some kidnappers tried to do it with my father when I was younger, a couple of times." Tony tried to shrug off most of their looks. "Most parents will do anything for their kids."

"Alright, let's get ready for this," Steve looked around the table. Tony walked over and took a seat next to Loki as the Natasha and Clint started talking weapons and Steve tactics with everyone.

"I want you staying here," Tony told Loki. Loki turned to look at him, raising one eyebrow slowly.

"I am no damsel," he told the man. "You can not-"

"Forget about what Odin will do when he hears they have his son," Tony said so only Loki could hear him, but the anger was not missed. "If they get their hands on you, I know I sure as hell would almost anything to get you back." Loki blinked, eyes widening a little. "Tony Stark plays for keeps, and no one takes what is his. I think I tried to demonstrate that before, when Thor took you from the quinjet."

"Ah, but I was your enemy then," Loki pointed out.

"And now you're not," Tony countered. "Imagine what I'd do now." Loki did think, and immediately stopped.

"I shall stay here, out of sight then," Loki reluctantly agreed.

"Good," Tony nodded. "Ah, before I forget you have my permission to use whatever powers you need if something were to happen. I will not have you defenseless down here." Loki suddenly straightened a little as he felt a flow of energy rush through his body.

"Tony, you must know that Thanos is the one who gave me the scepter before, and taught me how to control others," Loki looked at him knowingly. "Warn the others, you must all be careful against him."

Tony nodded and leaned his forehead against Loki's. He pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and smirked. "You know us," he winked as Loki groaned playfully.


	14. Chapter 14

The Hellcarrier had landed in the water close to an island where thankfully the only inhabitants were wild plants and some birds. Loki stood with Agent Hill, Agent Coulson and Fury on deck. Fury was the only one who had a problem with this.

There was no visible portal like last time, the creatures just appeared. As Loki predicted there were some Chitauri, but the others looked no less menacing than the threat they had already faced.

Loki was the first to see Thanos appear. He didn't engage in the fighting personally, but he dwarfed his army, in size and power. Thanos was there for one thing only, and he didn't care what he had to do to get his hands on Loki.

Tony watched as the team took on the invaders, and set his sights on Thanos. He had felt the monster appear, felt it through his connection with Loki. And if sensing the fear from his god on the Hellicarrier didn't inspire him to do the stupid things he did, then he was at a loss.

"Tony, what are you doing?" He heard Fury's voice in his ear and rolled his eyes.

"They say a weak man has doubts before he takes action. A strong man has doubts after he's already done it." Tony swore he heard something like that on a TV show once. It kind of stuck with him. He didn't very close to Thanos before his hand shot out, faster than Tony would have expected, and grabbed his arm. "Starting to feel those doubts now."

Tony shot a blast at Thanos, trying to squirm out of his grip. The giant merely laughed and broke Tony's helmet in two, pulling it off of him. Tony glared at him, squashing down his panic. He thought he saw something similar to Loki's scepter in Thanos' hands then smirked a little.

"You know, that whole mind control thing won't work on me, Loki already tried it," Tony thought he had lucked out.

"The heart is only the strongest link, there are other ways," Thanos grinned and Tony's face fell. He could hear some yells in his earpiece as Thanos brought up the glowing stick (it looked like a undersized bat in his hand), and placed the tip on Tony's forehead. His body tensed and his eyes widened as he felt foreign energies taking over his body. His normally bright honey eyes swirled with blue light as Thanos laughed.

Loki's eyes were wide as he watched Thanos and Tony. No one else could have seen what was done to Tony, only that Thanos had grabbed him, then suddenly let him go. But Tony didn't fly away right away. He listened to whatever the evil creature had to say then turned around, headed back for the fight.

"Warn the others," Loki suddenly said, cause Fury to look at him. "Tell the others to watch out for Tony, he has been, what do you say, compromised." Fury saw the pure panic in Loki's eyes. "I'm going to go take care of it." He turned to leave and Fury grabbed his arm.

"I am under strict instructions not too let you leave this carrier," Fury pulled him back, much to his dismay. "And normally I don't take orders from anyone else, but I made an exception for Stark this one time."

"And now it is him that is in trouble, and I can help him." Loki glared back at the man, but he was unmovable.

"Tony!" Clint looked up from his position, shooting two more arrows and taking out four creatures. "Are you okay? What happened?" He frowned when Tony didn't answer and kept flying towards the group. He suddenly stopped in midair and pointed his repulsors down to the ground. Clint narrowed his eyes a little then they widened.

"Shit. Everyone move! Scatter!" He yelled and turned an arrow up towards Tony. If he could take out the boots, maybe they could incapacitate him. "Tony's been compromised!" There was some chatter on the comm lines before they all moved, avoiding the blasts from Tony. "Dammit Tony, don't make me do this to you." He kept his sights trained on Tony and the billionaire looked over at him. Clint frowned when he saw the brown of his eyes warring with the blue of control.

There was a sudden screech and everyone looked away. Tony flew back up and away from the others, back towards Thanos. The Avengers were injured, but were still able to fight, and they proved they could still protect the Earth. More than half of Thanos' army was dead and they all looked up towards their leader.

"I will call upon more to reign down on this pathetic excuse for a planet, unless I am given what I came for." Thanos growled down at them.

"Not on your life, buddy," Natasha replied, the low growl of the Hulk behind her agreeing.

"I have one of your own." Tony shook his head as Thanos spoke and he dipped in the air as he fought for control of his own mind.

"You will release him!" Loki yelled as he appeared in front of the others, battle armor on, hands glowing with magic.

Tony suddenly looked down and blinked his eyes clear. He frowned a little then he saw Loki. His suit suddenly powered down and his eyes closed as Thanos reached out and grabbed his arm, holding him up. "I will give him back." The rest unspoken. They knew what he wanted.

Loki ground his jaw a little and started to step forward before he was grabbed by Thor and the Captain. He glared back at them as he struggled. "I will not let him hurt Tony!"

"Tony told us that no matter what, not to let you go," Steve told him, trying to pull him back.

"He was very adamant about it." Thor said, drawing Loki's attention. "Under no circumstances were his words."

"You have no deal, Thanos!" Clint yelled up while Loki was distracted. "We already beat you once, and we can do it again."

"He is highly coveted by you, Loki," Thanos grumbled out looking at Tony. "A mortal, how quaint. If he is so willing to fight for you, then he shall know what your punishment will be." Loki's eyes widened and his struggle renewed against Thor and Steve. "It will be fun finding a mortals limits." As he disappeared the rest of the creatures called out commands and they also disappeared, leaving the island empty except for the dead.

Loki was breathing fast and hard as he stared at where Tony had been. He could feel some hands pulling him back, but everything was white noise to his ears. Tony was gone, in the hands of Thanos, and Loki had no idea what to do. Loki was brought of his thoughts when he found that he was back on the Hellicarrier. He pulled his arms away from Thor and everyone turned to look at him. Loki glared, and everyone saw the god that they had fought two weeks ago.

"You let Thanos take him," he hissed at the group. Fury took a step forward and Loki waved his arm, creating a barrier between himself and the others. "You have no idea what he is capable of! He tortured me before I was sent to Midgard. Thanos does not make threats, he keeps promises, and now he has Tony."

"Loki-" Steve started but stopped when Loki turned his gaze to him.

"You have allowed him to be sent to his death!" Loki yelled and it seemed to travel across the carrier. Loki growled and disappeared with a flash of green. The six people all turned their gazes to anywhere but each other.

Loki had appeared back at the Malibu mansion, inside the room he had started to share with Tony and dropped onto the bed and started to take deep breaths. His armour disappeared and he could feel his magic ebbing away now that Tony was no longer near him.

"Tony?" He looked up when the door to the room opened and Pepper stood there, wide eyed and worried. She locked eyes with Loki and she instantly surged forward and pulled him into her arms. He let out a deep, shuddering breath, and tightly wrapped his arms around her. No words were needed, Pepper knew that something had happened, and that's all he needed right then. He needed to someone to understand what he was going through.

* * *

Tony groaned and rolled his head before opening his eyes. He coughed, instantly wincing at how dry his throat was. His body tensed when he found he couldn't move his arms or legs, and why his throat was so dry. Another cave.

He saw Thanos off to the side and he grinned. "I will be your next nightmare, mortal."


	15. Chapter 15

Tony arched his back up, trying to twist away from the knives as they scribbled across his skin. He can taste the blood in his mouth as he bites the inside of his cheek, determined not to scream, or show any pain.

When Tony had first woken up he thought that he had been secured to a rock, his arms and legs spread out to minimize any kind of movement. It seemed that his captors knew a thing or two about torture. But as his head had rested on its side he noticed that he was actually on some kind of table, and it was gold, and that never did bode well in the movies did it?

"You are the same warrior that destroyed my army, are you not?" Tony frowned a little when he heard a voice speaking to him. He opened his eyes and saw Thanos leaning over him. "You sent a metal explosive to us, making a grave mistake."

"Actually, I see it as a personal victory," Tony huffed out. "I got this thing, I like my planet the way it is." Thanos narrowed his eyes a little and Tony suddenly gasped when he felt something sharp scrap around the skin near his reactor.

"I will hear you scream, then I will make that Asgardian filth listen to you scream as we pull the life from your frail body." Tony glared and spit some blood up at Thanos. He just looked at Tony before looking over and nodding minutely to someone.

The sharp point suddenly slid into his skin, against the metal shield of his reactor and Tony screamed when three more repeated the actions. He could feel the curve of the blades as they pulled up, extending each cut. Tony feared they would cut the arc reactor form his body, but that would kill him, and he had a feeling that they knew that. He felt the blades re-position themselves, inches away from the fresh cuts, and the process started over again.

After the fourth time of creating art int his chest Tony felt the blades pull away for good. His throat was raw and he let his head drop down, panting for breath. He still felt a slight warmth in his chest, right behind the arc reactor. Tony had one last thought be he passed out.

_Loki._

* * *

Loki put a hand on his chest and frowned. He could feel Tony, could feel that he was in pain, but couldn't help but feel a little proud that he was holding his own against Thanos, and still maintaining a link with his core. It meant that Tony hadn't given up yet.

Loki walked over to Thor and whispered something in his ear. Thor and Phil were the only ones so far that Pepper, Loki, and JARVIS had allowed inside the mansion. Thor looked at him and frowned. "I make this request out of a desperation I have not felt for many years, Thor."

Phil and Pepper looked over at the two from the maps they had been looking over. It was thought that Tony would still be on Earth since that's where Loki was, and they had JARVIS trying to run scans for any hint of Tony's arc reactor.

"Loki-" Thor started but was stopped when Loki held a hand.

"He once did this fro me, I should like to return the favor," Loki tried to keep his expressions and emotions under his well trained masks. "I fear that we will not be able to track him fast enough if I am not able to take this chance."

Thor studied Loki for a moment in silence before standing up and nodding. He looked over to Pepper and Phil. "We shall return shortly."

"What's going on?" Pepper looked between them, her eyes settling on Loki.

"I have asked that Thor take me back to Asgard so that I may asked Odin for help." Loki explained, mostly to Pepper.

"Last I heard, Odin wasn't too happy with Tony," Phil commented.

"I am sure that I will be able to make a case," Loki said. "You should keep searching, we will return shortly." Loki walked out with Thor, and a few minutes alter Pepper and Phil looked up when they heard a large crack of thunder.

* * *

Tony's eyes shot open and he started gasping for breath. Although he hadn't moved he swore that he could still feel the water on his head, blocking his nose, constricting his breath. Tony was now aware that Thanos had no qualms with mental torture as well. Just his luck.

"I was told that you had your own way with words," Tony heard Thanos behind him as he tried to catch his breath. "That you and our traitor were a little similar."

"Every planet, needs a, wordsmith," Tony breathed out. If Tony lost his humour, he knew that he'd break.

"Tell me mortal, are you loved on this planet? What would others do to find you?" He could hear Thanos pacing behind him. "How much longer until they give up, and leave you to me?" Tony ground his jaw a little.

"It sounds like you have a problem," Tony tried to keep his voice light. "A little possessive. I don't like that, and I really don't like that I was your second choice. It kind of-" His words were choked off when Thanos grabbed his jaw in one huge hand.

"I wonder how you will take this action." Thanos stared at him and out of the corner of Tony's eyes he saw one of the warriors walking over with something in his hand. His breathing started to speed up when he swore he saw a long bone needle. "The best way to quell a silver tongue, is to silence it."

Thanos used his other hand to hold Tony's head down and still as the warrior held up the needle with some string attached. Tony's eyes widened and he started to thrash any part of his body that he could to threw off the grip. His jaw was still int he steel grip as his upper lip was grasped, he couldn't even scream properly as the needle was pushed through slowly, then pulling the string through quickly. He shut his eyes tightly as the repeated the action on his lower lip, the blood dripping into his mouth slowly. He wished the pain would let him pass out, but fate hadn't been kind to him yet.

As the string was pulled a third time it suddenly stopped and even Thanos' grip was gone. He vaguely heard some noise int he background, the blood rushing past his ears blocking everything else out. He turned his head slowly and saw a green glow, and furrowed his brows. He thought he saw Loki, but he knew that they had been too far away for Loki to still be able to use his powers. He let his head drop back, figuring that Thanos was toying with his mind, trying to give him hope, so that he could tear it back down again.

But when things were suddenly silent Tony opened his eyes and saw a familiar pair of worried green ones above him. Tony could have let out a cry of relief when saw the deft fingers working at Tony's restraints.

"We need to move quickly," Loki said to him, trying not to let his eyes distract him with all the wounds and scars that Tony had. "I am not sure how long my magic will last. Can you stand?" It took a few seconds for Tony to understand the words but finally nodded as Loki slipped an arm around his shoulders. "Good. Pepper and Agent Coulson are waiting for us. It would be rude to keep them waiting." Loki pulled Tony up to his feet slowly and worked a spell around them when he felt Tony gain his balance. They disappeared from the cave as Tony pressed his head against Loki's shoulder.


	16. Chapter 16

Loki and Tony appeared in Tony's bedroom and the smaller man practically collapsed in Loki's arms. He quickly put Tony on the bed, and let him lay down. "JARVIS? Inform the others that we're back, but do not let them in the room just yet," Loki requested quietly.

Tony had let himself sink into the bed, hands gripping the sheets slightly, wanting to keep them in his grip, just to make sure that they were real. He blinked and looked over when the side of the bed dipped and Loki was sitting next to him. He reached out and Loki took his hand quickly, brushing the hair from Tony's forehead. Tony started to smile then grunted in pain when he felt the string still in his mouth.

"You shouldn't move too much, not until I can take care of these wounds," Loki told him and stood up from the bed. Tony didn't let go of his hand. He looked back at the man. "I will return, this isn't a dream, Tony." He knew what Thanos and his allies were capable of. Tony nodded once then let go of Loki's hand, letting his head sink into the pillow.

It was two hours later when Loki left the bedroom, Tony blissfully asleep, and JARVIS under instructions to let Loki know the moment he woke up, or needed help. He walked downstairs and saw Pepper and Phil sitting there. He could feel the rest of the Avengers waiting in the meeting room waiting for the word.

"He is asleep now," Loki told them as he neared. "I've used the rest of the magic allotted to me to heal what I could and take away the pain."

"Should we worry about putting up defense around the house while he rests?" Phil asked.

"If it would make you feel better," Loki says, although in his head he would feel a hell of a lot better. "I do not think that Thanos will show up soon, but I will be the first one to not underestimate him."

"Mr Odinson, I believe that Mr Stark is waking up," JARVIS interrupted and Loki turned his head a little and tried not to frown.

"You can tell the others that I'll be there shortly," Loki told the two before heading back to the bedroom.

When he walked in he could see Tony tossing about the bed, taking deeper breaths, and understood that JARVIS meant a nightmare was happening and he hadn't wanted to let Pepper or Phil know. Loki sat down next to Tony and took his hand, rubbing circle on the back of his hand.

Tony stopped moving but was still breathing faster than normal. He opened his eyes then looked at Loki. He started to push himself up and Loki helped him to a sitting position, even if it did look painful for him. Tony was stubborn.

"The others are here, downstairs, waiting for my report," Loki told his quietly.

"Do they know?" Tony whispered, his throat still a little raw, and trying not to move his lips too much. He noted that most of the pain was gone from his mouth, but he could still feel the tightness and the scars that would no doubt be there.

"Of what has happened?" Tony nodded. "They do not know specifics, only speculation at this point. I have not told them anything, not even Miss Potts."

Tony noticed that his chest had been wrapped in bandages, as had the upper half of his arm. Loki had worked diligently at all his wounds. "I'll go too," Tony said shortly. "I need a shirt."

Loki blinked when Tony attempted to get off the bed. "Are you sure that wise? You're probably not in any condition-"

"Then use your powers," Tony winced a little and put a hand to the side of his mouth. "Permission, powers, heal."

Loki looked down a little, and Tony swore he almost shuffled his feet on the ground. "I'm afraid I don't have access to any of my powers at the moment, not even with your permission." Tony couldn't help but frown. "I had Thor take me to Odin."

_"The last time you appeared like this to me it was to contest the judgement against Fenrir," Odin looked down at Loki. Loki was kneeling on one knee, his hand resting on his leg, and his head looking at the ground. "I do not think that a fortnight is enough time for you to have fulfilled my latest judgement. And you arrive without Anthony Stark."_

_"He is the reason that I'm here," Loki kept his eyes to the ground. He was glad that the hall was empty except for Thor, Odin and Frigga. It was embarrassing enough for him to be kneeling, but he did not want others privy to the information that the great Loki was begging in front of Odin._

_"I will hear you," Odin leaned back a little in his throne._

_"I request a temporary release from my punishment," Loki started. "I would ask for access to my full strength of powers."_

_"Can you not ask Anthony for access to your powers, that was part of the arrangement."_

_"He is unable to do so," Loki told him quietly. "He has been taken, and I mean to find him."_

_"The mortals are not able to find him?" Odin asked and Loki could practically hear Thor wrestling with himself to stay quiet. Loki had made him give his word that he would not interrupt._

_"They will not find him in time. He had been taken by Thanos, while he was looking for me." He glanced up and could see Odin's back straighten a little at the name. "Anthony has gone out of his way to house me, and now to protect me, I can not let his actions go unnoticed, nor can I let him stay with such a monster." Loki tried to keep his personal feelings back behind his mask, but knew that he was rapidly cracking._

_"I can see that he is an important man to Midgard," Odin nodded a little. "Loki," Loki looked up when Odin's tone softened, talking to his son and not a criminal. "What does he mean to you?"_

_Loki let out a shaky breath. "I love him," he whispered._

_"Loki Odinson," Odin stood up from his throne. "I grant you access to your powers, for a short time. Use them wisely, for after this you will not be able to use them until your judgement is decreed to be served." Loki bowed his head once and pushed himself up. "If you find this fair, then go and fulfill your duty."_

Loki blinked when he felt Tony's bandaged hand on Loki's cheek. "I have no regrets, so do not think to tell me that I should not have done so." Loki could be as stubborn as Tony. Tony just leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Loki's cheek.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He smiled a little, even though it caused him pain. "Now, shirt." Loki rolled his eyes and held Tony get a button down shirt and slip it on, only managing to button it about half way.

"Are you sure about this? You need all the rest that you can manage, and there will be no galavanting about in your suit for some time." Loki warned him as Tony wrapped his better arm around Loki's for stability.

"Mother hen," Tony murmured as they left the bedroom.


	17. Chapter 17

Tony let his body sink into the couch, suddenly very grateful that he for comfort more instead of style. He wouldn't admit it, but Loki may have been right when he said that he had needed to stay in the bed.

"Why did Thanos control Tony in the first place?" Steve asked after they had made sure that Tony wasn't going to keel over on them.

"To prove that he could," Clint answered, and Tony felt his eyes glance over to the archer. Seemed that Thanos had just made it to the top of Hawkeye's list, just past Loki.

"Will we have to worry about him being able to take over from anywhere?" Bruce asked.

"Not unless we were to have another visit from him," Loki answered. "He would have had to break his own control when he took Tony." Tony took a breath, rubbing absently at his temple.

"So what exactly did you do?" Natasha asked the powerless god. "When you got Tony?"

"I was not able to kill Thanos, if that is what you're asking." Loki looked at her. "But I was able to upset the balance of his army. My wrath was not forgiving," he added quietly.

"The army that we saw at the island was only a fraction of what he's amassed," Tony spoke up since he had gotten down there. They all turned to look at him. "I'm really good at listening. He doesn't want to take the planet for his own, he just wants a little revenge, and to take out his anger on us."

"So he wants to annihilate the planet, great. Did he happen to mention how?" Bruce asked looking at Tony, who shrugged slightly, trying not to wince.

"He may have said something about directing different energies, I wasn't really clear on that part, I was in a little pain at the time." Loki caught his eyes and knew that they would be having a conversation. You can't squeeze a lie past the Liesmith.

"We should have a little time to prepare before his next attack," Loki told them. "He'll need time to have enough power to call on the rest of his army. It isn't an easy task traveling the Realms."

"We can analyze the last battle," Steve started talking tactics and Tony found himself zoning out. He was trying to work a cramp out of his fingers, and trying to ignore Loki's gaze on him. The others were lost in conversation as Tony slowly pushed himself up. Loki was at his side, walking next to Tony as he headed out of the room, but not towards the bedroom.

"He wants to channel energies," Tony offered before Loki could ask, as they headed down the stairs to the lab. "That's part of the reason he came back here."

"So it wasn't just a personal revenge," Loki murmured as he opened the workshop door for Tony. The inventor walked in and dropped onto the couch.

"He was a little disappointed when he found that I couldn't channel as much you could," Tony let out a little laugh as Loki at him. "It isn't the first time I've been tortured you know." He dropped his head back on the couch.

"No, it is not, but it is the first time that your enemy has not been human." Loki moved towards Tony and the smaller jumped a little not seeing the movement at first. Loki stopped and helped up an arm. "I should not have moved so fast."

"It's fine," Tony shook his head a little and flashed a smile, an uneasy smile. "The only thing that needs to be noted is that you're gonna be the focus of his attention again, not me." He wasn't avoiding Loki, he just needed a little most rest.

"It has been noted," Loki told him, watching him closely. He wanted to know what had happened to Tony, so that he could help him, but he didn't want Tony to shut down completely. "It is something that we don't have to tell the others, it will take too long to explain it to them."

"That and they'll start to wonder if they can have magic, too," Tony smirked a little. "I wanna keep being special."

"You are special in too many ways, Anthony," Loki replied, relaxing next to Tony. "Tonight I shall make dinner, and smoothies." Tony leaned his head against Loki's shoulder. Loki gently moved him to put his hand in his lap.

"Will it have lemons in it?" Tony asked as he yawned.

"And cherries," Loki confirmed.

"That's because you like cherries," Tony taunted. "We seem to run out of cherries faster than any other type of food." Loki just grinned and ran his hand through Tony's hair as the man fell asleep. Loki bit his lip a little but continued to soothe the man in his sleep, hoping for a dreamless slumber.


	18. Chapter 18

Two days later Loki had pulled Tony away from his lab, passing the research off to Bruce who only blinked. Even if Tony could play superhero who would be able to work on something that would let them know when another portal opened up, with Loki's help. They had had to postpone the work with magic, but neither one of them was about to tell Fury that.

"Don't worry Dr Banner," Loki told the man as he pushed Tony from his chair. "I shall return him, and he's done most of the work anyway. JARVIS will be more than happy to help you if you need it."

They were now outside, the sun dangerously close to the horizon as the day tapered off, and Loki had brought Tony to the beach below his mansion.

"Not that I don't appreciate my own private beach," Tony started as he followed Loki, "but I should be finishing the research."

"It's almost done, and Dr Banner is a capable man from what you've told me," Loki countered. They walked across the sand towards a raised outcropping above the water. "I want to show you something." Tony raised an eyebrow at the man but didn't stop following him.

Tony hadn't been getting much sleep and Loki knew it. Whenever a nightmare would wake Tony Loki was already awake, soothing him to forget about it. He helped him through his panic attacks that he hadn't encountered for a couple years, and somehow managed to keep everyone else, except for Pepper, from knowing about it.

Pepper was never able to express the gratitude she had for Loki, knowing what they were going through. She had helped Tony as much as she could after his time in Afghanistan.

Loki pulled Tony towards the edge of the outcropping and Tony had to bite back a quip about feeling like The Lion King. He hadn't shown Loki that movie yet. Loki put two fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply. Tony winced a little and closed his eyes until Loki stopped, then raised an eyebrow. As he opened his mouth to say something the water started to stir and crash more violently against the rocks. The sky was still and the winds hadn't increased but it seemed that the ocean was caught in the middle of a storm.

Tony glanced over and could see that Loki was grinning as he watched the water. Tony looked back out and his eyes widened when he saw a giant snakes head start to rise out of the water. As the reptile rose from the water Tony judged the size of it. It's head was as tall as Tony and he hoped that it wasn't hungry, though he'd probably be a sad excuse for a snack.

It moved towards Loki and Tony and brought it's head over and leaned down on the edge of the outcropping. Loki started to speak softly in a different language as he walked over and gently ran his hand along the serpents head. He looked over at Tony and waved him over. Tony swallowed and slowly walked over, staying close to the god.

"Tony, this is Jormungandr," Tony's eyes widened a little more as Loki spoke. "He was, and is my best friend, like a son to me." Tony slowly reached out and touched the side of the serpent head. A large eye turned to look at Tony and he swore he saw the tip of a tongue peek out from the mouth.

"Has he always lived just below my house?" Tony will swear on his research that he did not stutter.

"No, he lives wherever he would like, but still in the oceans of Midgard. Odin banished him here when he started to become too large to live in Asgard." Loki rubbed up towards Jormungandr's eye and Tony swore he saw the snake smile. "If only he would have asked I could have change that." Loki looked at Jorm (because Tony could not really keep saying Jormungandr for much longer,) and started to talk to him in the same language as before.

Jorm looked at Tony whiel Loki kept talking. He suddenly moved his head and, Tony didn't jump, seemed to rub against Tony's side affectionately, like a cat. Tony coughed a little and started to rub Jorm's side.

"Hey there big guy," Tony spoke, keeping his voice even. "You know, if you ever get bored you could come and hang out around my house, keep the waters safe. Hey, who knows, you could even keep reporters at bay for me." He looked at the eye that watched him. "If Loki like you then you can't be half bad."

Loki chuckled a little as he watched them. He could hear Jorm in his mind, giving Tony a chance because the mortal meant something to his creator. Tony relaxed and he smiled as he watched the serpent. He leaned against the serpent a little more and Jorm let Loki know that the mortal was tiring.

Loki moved towards Tony and moved him to sit on the ground, leaning against Jorm's head, before joining him on the ground. "I thought that you might have needed a break from all the research you were doing." 'And the sleep that you were missing out on.'

"Well, I gotta say this is some surprise," Tony chuckled a little. "It's a good one though, I gotta say I'm actually happy that you'd let me meet him. I was afraid to ask if I could meet any of your kids."

Loki looked over at him and blinked. "You'd want to meet them? Even Fenrir and Sleipnir?" He ignored Jorm making fun of him in his mind.

"If Odin ever let me back up to Asgard, yeah," Tony nodded. "I mean really, I'd rather have them on my side. Anyways, I bet that Fenrir is just a big puppy when it comes to it, kinda like his dad." Loki glared halfheartedly at Tony who chuckled.

"Well, when I get my powers back, perhaps I shall think about taking you meet them. Even Hela." Tony paled a little and Loki smirked.

* * *

It was a week later when Tony was confident that his portal locator could actually work. Not that they had anything to test it on.

"What about the scepter?" Banner offered to Tony and Loki down in the lab. "The one that Loki used last month. Could it still hold some of the power of the tesseract?"

"It's a possibility," Tony thought out loud.

"I am doubtful that I could use it properly though," Loki admitted. "My own powers are not what they used to be, and I'm afraid that it would call Thanos' attention this way."

"My mansion is secluded enough," Tony told him. "All my research is backed up on drives that I can access in New York. Maybe that's the plan we need." Bruce had raised an eyebrow while Loki just stared at him. "Maybe we should draw him here. We know what, or rather who, he wants. He made it clear that he still wants to kill me for breaking up his little army the first time."

"I'm not sure that's the best idea, Tony," Bruce was the first to express concern.

"Why not? I know this place like the back of my hands, I've had to remodel so many times." Tony brought up a map of all the land around his mansion. "It's surrounded by an ocean, not a city, I'd say this is as good as any. He's not going to let us lure him to another private island."

"You are willing to sacrifice your home?" Loki looked at Tony. Tony glanced over at his Iron Man suits, then nodded.

"Things can be remade," he said and looked back at the other two. "I'm really not seeing any other option other than to wait and see where he attacks and hope that the Avengers get there in time and no one dies."

Bruce let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright, so let's say this is the best idea, how do we get him out here? He's not gonna wanna come out just because you ask, he's going to know that we've got something planned."

"He's got an ego bigger than mine or Loki's, he'll come." Tony said to them.


	19. Chapter 19

A few nights later Loki wandered downstairs and saw Tony in his workshop. He thought at first that Tony would have been checking to see if any portals had been opened recently, as most of the Avengers had been doing since they were told about it. As he walked in, hearing some music playing in the lab, he saw Tony working on some Iron Man upgrades.

"Is this something to keep you busy?" Loki asked as he walked over to the man covered in grease. "It's almost four in the morning."

"I had an idea," Tony told him. "I needed to come down and test it, before I lost the idea."

"You didn't sleep last night either," Loki said as he took a seat at the same table Tony was working at. "You should get some rest, we don't know when something will happen, or when we'll be able to draw Thanos out. You should be a little rested before that happens."

"I feel like sometimes I'm more tired than before I went to sleep," Tony admitted quietly. He shook his arm out, the healing cuts and scars pulling tightly.

Loki eyed him carefully. "I can tell that you've been meditating, too," Loki said and Tony looked up at him. "I may not have my powers, but the spell I cast up in Asgard still holds. I can feel that you've been gathering energies."

"Figured it'd be a good tactic to practice," Tony shrugged a little, smirking slightly. "I was able to light the stove without touching when I tried to make some soup last night."

Loki chuckled, a genuine smile reaching his eyes. "In no time you'll surpass me in title and skill as sorcerer and mage."

"I'd be scared if I were you," Tony winked at him. "I've been experimenting with holding onto energy, storing it to use at a later date. Almost like an emergency supply."

"Yes, I can see how that might be a good idea," Loki nodded. "Although I do hope that you don't plan on using that tactic relatively soon." Loki looked at Tony and noted how the man went back to work on the gauntlet of his glove. Loki sighed a little. "Tony-" He was stopped when an alarm started going off, and the lab started to shake slightly.

Tony quickly pulled up a screen while steadying himself with his uninjured arm. "JARVIS, is this an earthquake?" Loki made his way over to Tony so he could see the screen.

"It is not," JARVIS replied as the shaking died down. "The sensors have actually picked up activity matching the readings of the portals you recently installed." Tony's eyes widened a little. "The readings show a portal opening up a half of a mile away from the mansion." A map showed up and Loki was already in motion. Tony quickly ran after him up the stairs where the other Avengers were arriving.

Tony and Loki looked out the windows and saw a bright blue light, and Thanos, grinning. Tony felt his breath catch in his chest when he saw a familiar blue glow in at his waist. "Oh, shit."

"Well, he's here," Bruce commented.

"And he has the tesseract," Loki said quietly. They could see a portal was open behind Thanos and his army was filing in, starting to surround the mansion.

"How did he get a hold of it?" Steve asked as he stepped closer to the windows.

"I assume he was not content with his defeat from earlier, nor the fact that his prisoner escaped," Loki glanced back at the group. "He is quite capable of working the shadows."

"Asgard has been infiltrated," Thor muttered darkly.

"Would he have that gauntlet you were talking about earlier?" Tony asked. He tried to ignore the phantom pains he was feeling reminding of what he had suffered a week previous.

"No," Thor shook his head. "The tesseract was not placed in the place as the infinity Gauntlet. It has the potential to cause too much destruction, there are different wards around it."

"We've dealt with the tesseract once before, why not give it another go?" Clint said, pulling out his bow.

"We need a plan before we jump into this," Steve said. "This isn't going be the same as before. Our enemy is different and already knows how to readily make portals."

"We at least know what he wants," Tony murmured.

"And that's why you and Loki are going to stay here," Natasha told them. "Tony, you're still to sore to handle the suit right now, and Loki still doesn't have all of his powers." Tony and Loki still hadn't told them he had no powers. "It's not worth the risk."

Thanos' army had surrounded the mansion but stood still, not advancing on the group. "We should stay as a group," Steve suggested. "If we split up they'll overpower us individually. If we're together we have a better chance of keeping them at bay. Tony," the billionaire looked over at their leader. "Is there anywhere we could possibly funnel them in? Force them to come in small numbers?"

"If you want to keep them away from the mansion? No." Tony shook his head. "There are a couple of outside areas that have walls closing in to form a small entrance, or even the gate at the driveway. I didn't exactly buy this place for it's fortress like defenses."

"We try to keep them away from the mansion at all costs," Steve said and the others nodded.

"Watch out for Thanos and anything that glows blue," Tony told them.

"I think it would be a good idea to try and stay away from the big purple monster period," Natasha muttered. "If we can bring down his number maybe he'll turn tail and run." Loki snorted quietly enough that only Tony heard him.

"Alright, let's take positions be they get tired." They all followed Steve out of the room quickly.

"You two aren't thinking of doing anything stupid are you?" Tony and Loki turned to see Pepper and Phil standing towards the back of the room. "Because I know Tony, and that's something he would think about doing."

"I'm afraid we don't really have the capacity to do much even if we wanted to," Loki said quietly. Tony stayed quiet, and that worried Pepper.

"I'm going to call Director Fury," Phil told them. "He might be able to get some back up here sooner than later." He left the room and Pepper looked at the two before following him.

"We aren't going to do anything stupid right?" Tony looked at Loki.

"I believe that we have different definitions of stupid," Loki told him. They both moved in unison back down towards the lab. Loki wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for, but he knew they would need to be prepared for when Thanos' army made it to the mansion.

Tony suddenly stopped at a desk and leaned against it pushing a hand to his head. He frowned when he felt a pain brush against his consciousness. He took a breath when a sharper pain followed. "Loki?" He called out quietly. The god turned around then frowned when he spot how Tony was sagging against the desk. "Something's not right."

Loki quickly walked over and lifted Tony's head by his chin. He could see flashes of blue in Tony's eyes, but he kept his expression neutral. "You need to get out of the lab, now." Tony frowned at Loki then winced a little. "There are too many weapons in here for you to grab."

Tony's eyes widened a little when he caught Loki's meaning. "No, I want you to knock me out if this is happening again," Tony had grabbed Loki's wrist. "I can't go through that again. I was talking to Clint and we had two different experiences."

Loki's jaw tightened and he glanced at Tony's hand. "Tony, let go of my wrist." He had a knot in his stomach when Tony blinked and looked at his hand. He tried to pull away but his hand didn't move and Loki saw the panic in Tony's eyes behind the flickering blue.

"I'm serious Loki," Tony looked back the god. "I can feel it there."

"You fought it off once, you can do it again," Loki told him, pulling Tony closer. He could feel the Tony's fingers tightening and relaxing as Tony shut his eyes tightly. The knit in his stomach became tighter when Tony still hadn't moved his hand.

Tony opened his eyes and Loki scowled slightly when he saw they were a familiar blue. He narrowed his eyes a little and Tony turned, pulling Loki with him, and heading for the exit. Loki should have known that Thanos wouldn't give up Tony so easily, not when Loki was the first on his list.

Tony pulled Loki from the mansion, bypassing the army, giving the fighting Avengers a wide berth, and headed directly for Thanos. Loki watched and brought up his masks as they came closer to the grinning Titan.

"I thought it would be easier this way," Thanos said as they stopped several feet away. Tony had let go of Loki's wrist and the god just looked at Thanos.

"It feels as if you're still a little bitter," Loki said smoothly. "Although I'm not sure what for. It couldn't possibly be from the first failed attempt at getting the tesseract. Or perhaps it's when I came in and took what you were playing with." Thanos smirked a little and Tony suddenly feel to his knees, gripping his head, groaning slightly. Loki forced himself to stay still and keep looking at Thanos.

"It's only because you don't share your toys, Asgardian," Thanos told him. "But that is behind us, and I am here now. You stand before me, and I await you to acknowledge your defeat."

"You're crazier than I thought," Tony growled out and had pushed himself up the one knee painfully. "I've met some crazy people, well, things, and you top the list." Thanos eyed Tony, glancing to see Loki desperately trying not to move to help the mortal.

"And what do you offer to make me withdraw, mortal?" Thanos knew how to break the man, but he was intriguing.

"The offer to keep your life?" Tony was standing and looked up at Thanos, his brown eyes clear again. "You didn't think that this planet didn't learn from the first invasion? We learn, we adapt, we get better. Unlike you, chasing the same pipe dreams across a big galaxy." Thanos took a step towards Tony and leaned down. Tony took an involuntary step back and Thanos laughed.

"Big words for a tiny mortal. You should learn to back them up with actions." He suddenly threw his hand out and Tony hit the ground, sliding against the grass away from Loki and Thanos. Loki turned towards him but was held back by a hand. "Allow me to demonstrate. This is how I plan on taking over your pathetic planet."

Loki frowned and looked at Thanos, then froze. Thanos has grabbed the tesseract and was pointing it at Loki. The glow of the glow of the cube grew in intensity and Loki could feel the energy flowing off of it. The energy suddenly shot out of it in a beam and hit Loki's chest. He gasped and stumbled, but didn't fall. The power washed through his body at an alarming rate, burning through his muscles and veins. Instinctively he focused on his core and the energy started to gather, the pain centralized in his chest now.

Tony pushed himself up and squinted a little as his vision tried to clear quickly. He heard Loki grunt and frowned when he looked over. Loki's fingers had curled into fists, his knuckles turning white as the tesseracts energy was directed into him.

Thanos grinned as he watched. He had his own personal power source. The tesseract was too unpredictable, and with the mage with him he would be able to mold the power however wanted. Loki was powerful enough that it would be a few millenia before his body burnt out from all the raw power.

Tony took a breath and looked over when he felt a spray of water at his back. He blinked a little and pushed himself up as fast as he could and stumbled to the edge of the small cliff around his mansion. He licked his lips then put two fingers in his mouth and let out the best high pitched whistle that he could.

Tony held his breath, heart pounding in his chest. When the waves started to crash and swirl his heart nearly lept form his chest. He saw Jormungandr's head emerge from the water and Tony called out to him.

"Jorm! I need your help." The serpent lowered his head to look directly at Tony. "I have to save Loki, but I can't do that with a battle raging around us. Can you help?" Jorm watched him then nodded his head once, starting to rise up. "Wait! Jorm looked at him. "My friends are there too, they're trying to help. It would be awesome if you could try not to kill them. You'll know who they are, really bright and loud, and hard to miss." Jorm seemed to snort before he rose up again. Tony let out a breath as he watched the serpent start to slide out of the water, to the land and into the fray.

Loki clenched his jaw, keeping the scream of pain trapped inside. His eyes shot open when felt a hand grab one of his fists. He looked over and saw Tony uncurling his fingers to take his hand. "What, are, you, doing?" Loki bit out slowly through the pain.

"Helping," Tony said shortly. "Overload a circuit with power, and it burns out." Loki's eyes widened a little.

Tony gasped when he started to pull some of the power from Loki and into him. The tesseract doubled the flow and Tony felt it. He stayed on his feet as long as he could, using Loki's hand as his anchor. The pain became too much and he fell to a knee, and Loki went down with him, still holding his hand.

"You need, to let, go," Loki growled out at him. "This is, too much, for mortals." Loki was taking deep breaths. "It's too much, for the gods!"

Tony grit his teeth and looked up at Loki. "I think this qualifies as something stupid," he mumbled. Taking a deep breath he pulled on the power more and almost pitched face first into the ground.

Thanos looked at the tesseract and glared when the power started to flow too freely. He turned his gaze to the two men and snarled. He took a step forward, only to be blocked by a large snake's head lowering in front of him, fangs gleaming with the blood of his army. Thanos dropped the tesseract to the ground as Jorm wrapped around Thanos and started to squeeze. They both growled and Jorm dove back into the water, taking the Titan with him.

The tesseract started to sputter, the light blinking rapidly. It let out one last blast of power before settling in a dim glow, the beam of light disappearing. Loki fell on both his knees then, his hand pulling Tony closer to him. Tony was breathing heavily, his body shaking slightly and Loki bit his lip.

"You have to let go of the power," Loki told him, his voice quiet. "Tony, you must let go of it, or it will kill you. Unfortunately it will kill you more quickly than I would be able to."

Tony grit his teeth and opened his eyes to look up at his lover. And wasn't that a term that Tony could rapidly get used to? "I can't," he whispered, letting a natural Stark grin cross his face. "I don't have a focusing point. Someone taught me that it was dangerous to release raw energy, so he never taught me how to." Tony leaned his head against Loki's arm. "I tell ya though, power like this could keep Stark Tower up and running for three life... times..." He teetered off and slowly lifted his idea, a light bulb almost visible above his idea. "I'll be damned."

Loki frowned a little and looked at Tony. "The arc reactor," Tony told him. "We can funnel it into my arc reactor. It was built to hold power-" They both ducked a little when there was an explosion of water and sand spraying down on them.

They looked over and saw Thanos pulled himself back on land, looking a worse for wear, but unfortunately alive. "I'll have my power now."


	20. Chapter 20

Tony swallowed a little and glanced over at Loki. He seemed to be whispering something under his breath, still looking at Thanos. "Sorry," Tony spoke up. "We kind of had other ideas for it." Thanos growled and took a step forward before then stopped and looked past the two men. Tony looked behind him and saw Captain America, Thor, and the Hulk behind them. "Well, this is about to get interesting."

Loki pulled him Tony up and out of the fray as Thor let loose a bolt of lightning. Tony stumbled a little but held onto Loki. "Is Jorm okay?" Loki nodded once.

"He has assured me that he has gone through worse," Loki told him. "He would like me to inform you that he thinks you are an idiot." Tony grinned stupidly.

"He really likes me." Tony tensed a little, remembering the situation at hand. "Now, if we can just-"

"We are not going to put that much power into your reactor," Loki cut him off, ignoring the bits of dirt that flew past them from the fight in front of them. "It's dangerous enough at your core, I'm not chancing it inside your reactor. You have no idea how it will react."

"Where you're sense of adventure?" Tony grinned and held up one arm, showing the ID bracelet for his Iron Man suit. "I can just use the extra power with the suit."

Loki stared at Tony and thought he might have felt his eye start to twitch. "You are insufferable, completely and utterly."

"You're the one who loves me," Tony sing songed as he pressed the button on the bracelet. "I'd also back up a little, unless you wanna get hit again with my suit." Loki reluctantly helped Tony stand then backed away second before the suit came, folding over Tony.

Tony had closed his eyes and could practically see the bright glow of the tesseracts power behind his lids, then channeled it towards his arc reactor. "Sir, power readings have exceeded 600%," JARVIS informed him as the HUD appeared inside the suit. "Are you sure that you are well enough-"

"Stop sounding like a Debbie Downer," Tony opened his eyes. "We get to have some unlimited fun for once JARVIS." Tony took to the air and felt the repulsors charge and fire at Thanos at a faster rate than he thought possible. He knew they weren't hurting the mad Titan much, but with the state that Jorm had left him in they weren't feeling like pin pricks to him.

Loki watched from the side for a bit, watching as Thanos and The Hulk were suddenly in a war of strengths, hands pushing against each other, and the others took advantage of the situation. Loki pulled himself away headed towards the edge to the water. He saw what Jorm managed to do with the Avengers and noticed that Thanos' army had been considerably damaged. As had Tony's mansion. Hawkeye and Black Widow were taking out the stragglers.

Loki stumbled a little and looked down into the water, letting out a little whistle. A few moments later he saw Jorm's head rise just above the water, sporting some war wounds. "I shall heal those for you when I get my powers back," Loki promised the serpent. "Yes, I admit to just coming to see that you were alright with my own eyes. Tony often tells me he is fine when he in fact is not, I fear I've grown quite used to the mortal." He narrowed his eyes slightly when the serpents head started to shake with laughter. "Alright, you can go back to your own healing," He snapped, but Jorm just seemed to smile before disappearing.

Loki looked around, ducking when Captain's shield flew astray past him, rapidly returning to it's owner, and spotted what he had been looking for. The dim glow of the tesseract was just covered by a fine layer of dirt. He reached for it and eyed it.

"Don't you have some extra power now?" Loki turned when he heard Clint drop behind him. "Can't you use that against big purp over there?"

Loki licked his lips slightly, then shook his head. "For several reasons that would be an idea worse than any Tony has ever had." Clint raised an eyebrow, a silent demand for an explanation. "I have fallen under the power of the tesseract once before, and I would rather not do it again. The sooner I can be rid of the energies, the better. It is an addiction of sorts, where one taste of the power will never be enough. I trust that you understand this a little better than the others." Clint just looked at him as he shot two arrows over his shoulder.

"Also, it would be going against the judgement placed by the Allfather. In exchange for saving Tony I have been left without my powers, and using them, even through artificial means, would be to go against him. That is a punishment on its own I would not tempt."

"Even if it meant it could help save this planet?" Clint watched him.

"The temptation and risk of losing my mind once again are not worth it. I fear it would only bring more damage to Midgard." Loki looked back at the cube in his hands. "I must entrust it's protection to you and your band of heroes, again." He looked back at Clint and smirked slightly. "Don't let me down."

Clint's eye twitched, as did his lip, fighting back a smirk. "One day, I will put that arrow through your eye." He ran towards the battle with Thanos and Loki chuckled.

Loki turned his attention back to the tesseract and focused on the energy still stirring within him. Taking a deep breath he let the power flow from his core, through his hands and back into the tesseract. Once Thanos had been dealt with he could get Tony to do the same.

Tony glanced over at Loki and was slightly relieved to see that he had managed to stay away from the battle. Until he noticed that the Thanos had sensed the energy moving around him. Tony flew over and in front of him. "What, suddenly we're not good enough for a battle?"

"You bore me," Thanos told him. "That power would rip your body apart before I was able to perform one spell with it." Thanos turned his attention to Loki. Tony took a couple more shots at Thanos with his laser, burning his arm. The Titian growled and swatted at Tony like a fly, catching him and sending him tumbling to the ground. Tony rolled a couple of times then dropped to his back. He blinked a few times as the HUD flickered a bit, but he was being pulled up.

"Ever the hero," Loki muttered to Tony as he pulled him up in the suit. "One day you won't be able to leave well enough alone, and it's going to hurt."

"Nice to see you again, sweetheart," Tony's helmet flipped up and he smirked at Loki. He heard the alert in his ear and grabbed Loki, throwing them both to the side as Thanos brought a fist down to the ground. Tony put himself above Loki and was pushing himself up when he yelled out as Thanos' first hit him in the back. Loki quickly pushed himself out from under Tony as Thanos repeated the action sending Tony into the ground, the suit groaning from the force.

"Can you take one more hit Tony?" Loki asked quickly, quietly, next to Tony.

Tony hissed out in pain. "That might be pushing it, but if you've got an idea, I can do it." Loki nodded and suddenly threw the tesseract on Tony's back as Thanos' fist came down one more time. The Titan's eyes widened but he was unable to stop himself before he crushed the cube of power that he had worked to get.

A shockwave of power pulsed through the air, pushing those around it back. What glass was left in the mansion was broken, and most of the electronics were fried, shutting down into darkness.

Thanos opened his eyes when he felt a sudden weight drop on his chest, holding him down. He saw five of the six Avengers standing over him, Mjolinir sitting on his chest. "I think that the Norns will be very interested in handling your trial," Thor growled to the Titan.

"I shall be interested to see what you will try this time, Adgardian." Thanos smirked. He had escaped the first time, given time he will escape again. He let out a growl when the archer suddenly stabbed one of his arrows in Thanos' shoulder.

"That's so we know where you are at all time," Clint growled, activating the tracker in the arrow. There was a flash of light behind them and a small order of Asgardian Guards approached the group.

The group turned as they let them take care of Thanos', feeling the post fight exhaustion set in. "Where's Tony? And Loki?" Steve looked around.

"The Prince and his mortal Guardian were taken back to Asgard before we arrived," one of the guards informed them. "The Allfather deemed it to be an emergency."

"That can not be good," Thor murmured.


	21. Chapter 21

_"Tony?" Loki had pulled himself over to Iron Man suit pushed into the ground. "Tony, you stubborn mortal, answer me."_

_He heard Tony cough and turn his head slowly. "I'm assuming that extra force that pushed me into the ground was your brilliant plan? Because it hurt."_

_"Yes, it was," Loki sighed a little. "How are you feeling? Did the armor hold up?"_

_"Oh, it held up alright," Tony said, but Loki didn't like his tone. He looked closely at the back of the armor and noticed it was crinkled._

_"What aren't you telling me?" Loki asked carefully._

_"I can't move," Tony told him._

_"We'll just get the armour off," Loki told him. "I'm sure the force has locked it-"_

_"No, I can't move," Tony said again. "With or without the suit. The back caved in and it's pressing against the nerves in my spine." He caught Loki's eyes. "This just turned into a very delicate situation, so if you could Not ask anyone with super strength, or shaky hands, to handle this, I would appreciate it very much."_

* * *

Loki sat with one leg pulled up to his chest as he rested his head on his knee. He watched the Healers tending to Tony, who was sleeping, and thought about how so much had happened in a relatively short amount of time. As a god he was unused this, hundreds of years passing comfortable between events was the norm.

Loki had made sure that the Healers knew about the tesseracts power, and they had safely siphoned it out before turning it over to Odin. Loki didn't tell them about the power that was still in his arc reactor, he needed it to survive as this time Loki didn't have the power to keep it running. Tony's suit sat in the corner, useless, but he'd let Tony decide what to do with it.

"He must be a worthy mortal for you to call upon me twice," Odin stepped up behind Loki, but he didn't move.

"He has an obnoxious Hero Complex, constantly putting himself in harms way, making bad decisions, and doesn't know when to keep his mouth silent," Loki muttered. "I have never met a mortal more worthy of the attentions of a god."

"And apparently the attentions of our healers," Odin added. "I suppose that there is something I can do that will help him in the future." Loki glanced up as Odin put a hand on Loki's shoulder. Loki suddenly gasped when he felt a familiar, and welcomed, warmth spread through out his limbs quickly. He looked at his hands as they sparked with unused power and he blinked. "Now you won't have to bring him to our Healers, and ask for my passage back to Asgard."

Odin walked forward and looked down at the sleeping Tony. "I suppose that he is a good choice of an Ambassador for Midgard. He is willing to put his life on the line for the Realm." Loki stood up slowly. "He will still be your Guardian, as he so aptly named himself, but your power is no longer restricted." Odin turned back to Loki. "I would suggest powering the device in his chest before I have to collect the rest of the tesseract's power." Loki nodded his head once and Odin left the room, leaving the two alone.

Loki moved to Tony's bed and pulled the sheets down to uncover his chest. He ran glowing fingers down the white scars he had earned when with Thanos the first time, healing them. He moved his hands towards Tony's arm when his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

"I don't think that they would like it if we had sex in here," Tony smirked as he spoke quietly, not opening his eyes. "Of course I've never been one to care about what others think."

"Why should I reward you for being stupid?" Loki kept his voice even. "You seem to have exceptional skill for getting hurt." Tony opened one of his eyes to look at Loki. Loki merely raised an eyebrow.

"That's only one of my skills," Tony grinned and opened his other eye. "And I think i deserve a little something, because I'm in the hospital," Tony pouted a little. "Down in Midgard people send cards and flowers, and they visit loved ones to help them get better. I'd like a little something from my loved one."

"Hm, well, if you down on Midgard I suppose I might have to follow that ridiculous tradition," Tony's jaw dropped a little and Loki smirked. "But I suppose I can give you some kind of gift." He put a hand on Tony's arc reactor and let a burst of magic flow through it. Tony gasped a little and it started to glow green. "I give you the gift of life."

"That's not what I asked for," Tony pouted again. His hand moved down from Loki's wrist to twine through his fingers. "Can I assume that I'll be able to get up and walk out of here on my own?"

"The Healers have informed me that you are lucky that I brought you here when I did," Loki told him as he sat down on the bed next to Tony's legs. "Though they claim to not know much about mortals, they have often dealt with injuries as your own before. You shall recover quite nicely."

"Hmm," Tony hummed and smiled a little. "Good. That means we can continue making smoothies in the kitchen."

"Your destroyed kitchen," Loki pointed out. Tony groaned slightly. "Remember that you said you were alright with your mansion being the scene for the battle."

"I lied," Tony puffed out. "How bad is it? No, don't tell me. You'd better tell me, I can't have a heart attack." Loki watched him go back and forth.

"It's going to take some time to rebuild," Loki told him. "I am not sure as to the state of your electronics though. Not am I sure about JARVIS."

"JARVIS will be fine, he'll back himself up to my private server," Tony sounded a little relieved about that fact. "It will take some time before you are able to check though. You are under strict instructions not to move from that bed for at least the rest of the day. And you will be under the eyes of Asgard for a couple of days."

"And by under the eyes of Asgard, does that mean you?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Loki said smoothly.

"Brother!" They both turned to see Thor rushing through the doors to the Healing room. "Where-Oh, you're both here." Thor looked at Loki and Tony and didn't move when four others ran into his back.

"Tony!" Bruce and Steve called out together.

"We turned around and you were gone, and then these guys in gold told us that you were here," Clint started to ramble out. "They said it was some kind of emergency, then Thor started to freak out, and then we started to freak out, and then we saw your mansion-" Natasha threw a hand over Clint's mouth.

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked.

"Well, I've been told that I'm going to be just peachy," Tony told them. "But I won't be able to leave for a couple of days. Just like those pesky hospitals down on Earth, although the nursing staff up here is cuter, but his bedside manner leaves a lot to be de- Oph." Loki poked Tonys side to shush him, but Tony just grinned.

"Well, Thanos is in custody, but we couldn't find the tesseract." Steve said.

"That would be because Thanos destroyed it, Loki said matter of factly. "Although I do doubt that he would have wanted too."

"Trickster god strike again," Tony sounded like a bad 60's TV show.

"You should just go back to sleep," Loki looked at Tony. "You have become even more irritating, which I did not think was possible."

"I'm going to complain to the management about you," Tony pointed. Loki let out a noise of frustration and put a glowing finger on Tony's lips.

"Shush, mortal." Tony leveled a glare at him and Loki merely smirked. He turned back to the other Avengers to see half of them smirking and the other half rather confused. "Did you happen to leave Pepper and Phil back on Midgard?" They all suddenly looked frightened. "Tony will not be going anywhere so I would suggest you go back to let Miss Potts know that we are in fact fine." Even Tony smirked as they all quickly shuffled from the Healers Halls.

Loki looked back at Tony. "I was serious about getting more rest. I can feel that you're getting tired and if you rest you can heal faster."

"With the magic that Odin gave you back? To y smirked a little settled back into his pillow. "I guess I'll listen, but I want a sponge bath after this " Loki pushed his forehead and watched him close his eyes.

When his breathing evened out Loki whispered a healing spell then drew the remaining power of the tesseract into his hand.

Loki found Frigga and Odin out in the courtyard, seemingly waiting for him. Odin stood and held out a small box, opening the lid. Loki let the energy flow from his hand into the box where he felt the rest of the tesseracts power.

"What will happen now?" Loki watched Odin close the box and spell the lid closed.

"We will find a new vessel for the power, and hide it again, as has always been done," Odin said as he put the box in his robes.


	22. Chapter 22

Tony turned and snuffled a little, stuck in the in between state of asleep and awake and he pushed his face into the chest that he was wrapped around. "Tony," his named was whispered and he merely shuffled a little. "Tony, wake up."

"Five more minutes," Tony yawned a little. "Pepper the Board can wait."

"Where do you think you are?" Tony opened an eye at the voice and saw Loki looking down at him. "You are not at home, and I am not Miss Potts."

"Well, thanks the gods for that, or else I'd be a little worried at the distinct lack of breasts." Tony grinned until he heard a cleared throat. He glanced over to the end of the bed and saw Frigga standing there. "Ah, well, this had just become slightly awkward."

"A situation that you seem to be very skilled at getting in to," Loki told him, smirking a little. He helped Tony move up and sit up slightly, moving slowly. "I actually want to ask a question first."

"It is a request of Odin," Frigga filled in, not sure if that was actually meant to sway Tony or not.

"Oh, this just got interesting. What one earth can I offer?" Tony raised an eyebrow and settled his hands in his lap.

"We would like to request a vessel to contain the remaining power of the tesseract," they looked over as Odin walked in. No, Tony did not bristle at his presence. "We have heard of your heroics down on Midgard. How you bravely, and foolishly, channeled the power."

"In turn saving our sons' life," Frigga added. Tony noted that Loki's cheeks may have just reddened.

"They would like one of the models of your arc reactor," Loki told him, knowing that Tony was going to soon lose interest.

"You want an arc reactor?" Tony frowned little, his hand subconsciously tapped on the piece in his chest.

"Not a working one," Loki added. "The power would not work in Asgard anyway."

"Oh," Tony blinked a little and shrugged. "Well, I've got an old model that I can't use, has a little bit of power left, but most likely won't work anywhere else other than Midgard." He looked at Loki. "I think you know where it is, if my workshop hasn't been utterly destroyed with my house."

"Perhaps the next time you sleep I shall go and retrieve it," Loki nodded.

"I'd really rather now have this come back to bite me in the assssssests," Tony held out as Loki shot him a look. "I got no problem offering up the reactor, found out first hand that it can hold some power pretty well. I just want some assurance that it's going to be guarded better than the first tesseract was."

"Not an unanticipated worry," Odin nodded. "We will take the necessary steps."

"I just don't want you guys to underestimate the power than this-" He grunted when Loki elbowed him. "Yeah, okay, you can have the reactor." Tony rubbed his side a little then looked at Loki. "This isn't going to turn into a family moment is it? Cause I don't exactly know how to do that, and it could get awkward."

"It is refreshing to see Loki acting like he once did," Frigga commented, smirking much like Loki. "You seem to be someone unique, Anthony, to handle Loki so easily."

"Oh, it's not easily," Tony shook his head. "Loki can be described as almost anything but easy," he smirked a little at his own joke. He was thankful that Odin and Frigga seem to have not gotten the innuendo. "By all means Loki and I should be at each others throats, all the time. Much like he was when he-"

"Threw you out your window, yes, we've heard," Loki stopped him. "You will not let me forget, will you?"

"Oh, it was a special moment, darling," Tony grinned, flashing his teeth. "It's not everyday that you- Wait, are we having a relationship talk?" He looked at Loki, then over to Odin and Frigga. "Am I having this talk not only in front of Gods, the God of Gods, and your parents?" Loki nodded once. "Pepper will never believe this. I don't even much believe it myself."

"You should stop dwelling on it so much," Loki leaned over and brushed his nose against Tony's ear, smirking a little. "Gods are not so reserved about their relationships."

"It's your parents," Tony whined. "There's gotta be some kind of-" He saw the look that Loki was giving him, once that seemed to confirm he was an insufferable human. "You guys really have no shame anymore, do you? You guys are old, you've probably seen everything." He sighed a little then seemed to deflated against Loki's side. "Okay." Loki chuckled and kissed the side of his temple.

"Do not worry, I shall make you regret this moment later on." Tony snorted as Loki smirked.

* * *

Tony rolled his shoulders a bit two days later as he walked into the great hall with Loki. It was mostly empty except for a handful of Gods including Thor, Sif and the Warrior's Three, and Frigga. Loki had insisted that he wear Asgardian formal wear instead of the jeans and t-shirt that he had arrived in. Tony had found out the gods took all of their ceremonies seriously.

He had managed to talk Loki into grabbing a pair of his best black slacks when he went back to the mansion. The Asgardian tailors had fitted him in a long sleeved, dark red, shirt with golden designs woven into the fabric. He had been given a sleeveless long leather jacket of red and gold, with a popped collar that screamed Tony Stark, that seemed to work perfectly with his pants. They had insisted that he wear Asgardian leather boots, and he wasn't one to argue after seeing their craftsmanship.

Odin waited at the bottom of the stairs, holding the small smooth box containing the tesseracts power. Loki hung back with the others as tony walked forward, his old, dim, arc reactor in his hands.

"So, uh, here it is. As you can see, all in one piece, no cracks, and no power." Tony turned it over in his hands, showing it to Odin.

"It is a worthy vessel," Odin looked at the reactor, then at Tony. He opened the top of the box and the power swirled up and out, funneling into the center of the reactor. Tony gripped the arc reactor in his hands, shivering as he felt the familiar power brush against his fingers. Loki had told him to close himself off to the energies, lest the power try to return to Tony, a familiar source.

As the reactor started to glow a bright blue Tony held it out to Odin quickly. "You should take this, not many good things have happened when it's in my possession." Odin seemed to smile softly as the box he was holding suddenly grew in size. Tony blinked then put it down in the box and the top closed, sealing once again.

"Anthony Stark," Tony blinked when Odin looked at him and began speaking. "You have faced many trials, aiding both Midgard and Asgard in its defenses. Earning the respect and trust of many, the love of others, you have stepped forward in a time of distress and of need."

"Really, I don't need a thanks," Tony whispered, fidgeting a little.

"I, Odin Allfather, hereby name you Anthony Stark, defender of Midgard, citizen of Asgard." Tony's eyes widened and he froze a little. The box in Odin's hands opened once again, the reactor gone. Odin reached in and pulled out a round metal medallion, red outlined in gold, resembling the medallions that the other gods wore.

"I- wha- Are you sure?" Tony's voice did Not squeak, did not break. He had a cough stuck in his throat. "I mean, seriously, I shouldn't be trusted with important things, ti's why my personal assistant still kind of runs my company." Odin pulled at the back of the medallion and pulled out another one. he stepped towards Tony and reached forward, placing the medallions on the lapels of the jacket. They seemed to mold into the jacket, looking like they had always been there.

Tony swallowed and blinked, feeling a bit awed, and then feeling that he Should feel awed. He reached a hand up, running his fingers lightly over one of the medallions, feeling a power, an energy, shock over his fingertips. "Holy shit," he muttered and heard a couple of chuckled behind him. he looked back up at Odin, and he would admit then that he might have felt his eyes mist a little. How often is one basically named a demi-god?

"Are you sure about this? I mean, it's not to late to take this all back.' Odin smiled at him and Tony swallowed thickly. "Holy crap, you're serious about this. Wow, I, uh, I, honestly I don't know what to say. I'm speechless, and that' really rare. It's just, wow." The great Tony Stark was falling over his words, and he was never going to let Pepper know that it had happened.

Odin placed a hand on Tony's shoulder and there was a sudden cheer from behind them as the two dozen Gods made themselves known. As Odin let go of Tony he felt an arm snake around his waist and he saw Loki slide up next to him, a small, but proud, smile crossing his features.

Tony grinned and held Loki closer as Loki's other hand came up to examine one of Tony's medallions, his own golden ones resting against his shoulders. "You are so getting laid tonight."


	23. Chapter 23

Tony fingered one of the medallions on his jacket before Loki came in. Loki had claimed that he had a surprise for Tony, and Tony told him that he had his own surprise. He wouldn't tell Loki that he had to work with Thor to set it up.

"It's been over a month, Tony," Loki's voice filled the room as he leaned int he doorway, his own jacket on. He told Tony that he would at least need to have his medallions for what Loki had planned. Tony slipped it over his long sleeved black 'Stark' shirt and pair of jeans that hung just right on his hips.

"Yeah? I can't help it," he grinned a little. "I mean seriously, how often does a mortal become an official citizen of Asgard? It probably helps that I'm sleeping with the King's son," he smirked and jerked back to avoid Loki's elbow.

"Are you ready to go, you insufferable man?" Tony could see the smirk on Loki's lips.

"Lead the way, darling," Tony wrapped his arm around Loki's and the god rolled his eyes. Tony felt Loki's magic like static as he closed his eyes, letting Loki lead them through the lesser traveled ways of Yggdrasil.

Tony suddenly felt a wave of heat wash over him, but nothing unbearable. Loki's arm has disappeared and he felt something brush past his neck and something whisper across his ear. "Anthony Edward Stark, so soon would I see you in my realm," a soft female voice sounded. Tony's eyes shot open but saw no one. He looked around and didn't even see Loki. What he did see didn't exactly inspire confidence.

The ground was dry and dusty, with ashen looking trees littering the horizon, a wall in the distance. "Unfortunately, I can not claim your soul." Tony jumped when he turned and saw a rather tall woman standing in front of him. Long black hair hung over her shoulder and a long almost shear dress danced along with the wind. "For several reason actually." She leaned forward and ran her fingers along his jaw and under his chin, smiling.

"I never thought I could be frightened by any other woman than Pepper. I have just been proven wrong," Tony admitted, unable to look away.

"Are you sure that you're a hero of Midgard?" Tony quickly turned to look at Loki standing behind him. "Of all the things you've been through, you're scared of her?"

"Are you bringing down my reputation, Loki Odinson?" The woman turned her attention to Loki, but he seemed unfazed.

"He knows nothing of your reputation, Hela Lokidottir," Loki countered.

Tony suddenly blinked. "What? Oh god! You brought me to Hel!" Loki raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Oh!" He suddenly turned back to face the woman. "You're Hela! You're his daughter!"

Hela looked at him, then looked at Loki. "This one? This is the one that you picked? That Odin saw as fit to become part of Asgard?"

"I take offense to that," Tony pouted a little. "I'll have you know-" Loki wrapped his arm around Tony's waist.

"Yes, this is the one," Loki informed her. "He's already met Jornumgandr."

Tony smiled wistfully. "Ah yes, Jorm. He's good peoples, er, good snakes?" Hela raised an eyebrow. "I also met Sleipnir, who absolutely loves sugar cubes now."

"He must be worthy if he has already met my siblings," Hela smirked, just like Loki. "Such an odd pairing though. I had expected to see your soul down here several months ago, Anthony Stark. Phil Coulson was sure that you would come to join him."

"Agent?" Tony blinked, perking up a little. "But, he's alive and-"

"Yes, very much alive," Hela nodded. "Of what I heard from him of his short time here, I could not let Midgard lose such a valiant man, and sent him back to you."

"You can do that?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Just send someone back from the dead?"

"It is obvious that my father tells you nothing of me," Hela scoffed, looking over to Loki.

"To be fair, we have been rather busy as of late," Loki shrugged a little.

"Do you mean the battle? Or all the sex you've been having?" Tony started to laugh as Hela smirked.

* * *

"Anthony, a moment before you leave," Hela called out to Tony as he was walking over to Loki. Loki looked at his and shrugged before he jogged over to the woman. "I can see what you plan on doing," Tony blinked a little. "And I wish to thank you."

"Thank me? Ah-" Hela put a finger to his lips.

"He has not seen him in a very long time, has been denied the ability search for him." Hela leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I hope to see you for many years to come by my fathers side."

"I hope to stay there," Tony smiled a little and winked at her before jogging back over to Loki.

"What did she want?" Loki took Tony's hand as he prepared his spell to travel.

"To let me know that I had better plan on staying by your side," Tony grinned. "I don't wanna end up dead and down here with her if I do wrong by you, so I don't think that's gonna be a problem." Loki snorted and the magic started to dance along his fingers. "Oh, let me add something." Tony added some of his own magic to the spell as Loki finished it and they disappeared suddenly.

As they appeared back on Midgard, Loki looked around knowing that this wasn't the destination he had planned for. He turned to look at Tony who was grinning. "Why would you add to the spell? Who even taught you how to do that?"

"Well, you're the one who taught me the basics of magic, and I know I'm still learning, but I improvised." Tony grinned and looked around at where they had ended up. It seemed that they were in a mountainous region and were standing on some naturally formed path ways and outcroppings not too high up.

"Is there a specific reason that you have sidetracked us so?" Loki let some of his irritation flow through his voice. Tony pulled away from the god and started to walk down the path, looking for something. Sighing Loki followed him at a more sedate pace and watched as Tony turned around a bend.

"Found it!" He heard Tony call.

"What exactly-" Loki turned the bend and stopped, his breath catching in his throat. Loki didn't notice the way Tony was grinning, or how he rocked back and forth on his heels, or even the way he almost lost his balance. All he saw was the large, beautiful, black furred wolf sitting in front of them.

Tony watched as Loki moved quickly over to Fenrir, starting to whisper in Old Norse, and held up a hand. The wolf instantly butted his head against Loki's hand, closing his eyes. Loki suddenly threw his arms around Fenrir's neck and took a deep breath. Tony blinked a little and rubbed his knuckles by his eyes. There was an unfamiliar stinging sensation that Tony refused to admit could have been tears. He wouldn't deny the smile that crossed his face though.

Tony leaned against the rock wall and watched the two. Thor had helped Tony find Fenrir after telling the inventor that Loki had not been able to see Fenrir for a couple of centuries. Looking at the scene of the reunion, Tony thought he could stand there for a week and he could feel content. Loki was happy, and he'd do anything to keep it that way.


End file.
